dhamz said:One of the worst I can recall.
I'm not sure which QB played a more pathetic game. Pitt only won the game because they took the ball away from their QB after that INT. That the other guy is a starter in the Pro Bowl tells you everything you could ever need to know about the NFC.
How did Hasselback play poorly? His throws were mostly all spot on - the main thing he screwed up on was clock management at the end of each half (and yes, THAT was very poor). The biggest problem he had was his receivers not catching the ball, and some horrendous officiating.
That was definitely the WORST officiating ever in a SB, perhaps one of the worst officiated NFL games altogether. THere were AT LEAST 10 bad calls, and they ALL seemed to go against Seattle.
The phantom holding penalty on the long pass in the second half that would have set them up with first and goal from about 1 foot out, but instead gave them 2nd and 20 out at about the 30. That lead to an INT, and eventual Pitt TD - altogether that phantom holding penalty created a 14 point swing. And perhaps one of the worst calls was the personal foul they called on Hasselback when he tackled the guy who made the INT, calling him for a low block? Hello? It's perfectly fine to tackle a guy low. Sure, another Pitt guy stepped in and got touched slightly when Hasselback was going in for the tackle, but that happens all the time.
That was a horrendous call of offensive pass interference on Jackson in what should have been a Seattle TD in the first quarter, resulting in a 4 point swing in Pitt's favor. Then the Roethlesberger TD run, which clearly was no TD, and should have left them with 4th and goal, most likely going for a FG. Another 4 point swing in their favor.
Those three there alone created an 18 point swing in Pitt's favor, yet there were many, many more horrendous calls. Those above are ALL calls that the commentators during and after the game called bad calls.
And perhaps someone with an NFL rule book can clarify this - isn't a pylon considered in bounds? Such that if a receiver catches a ball, one foot touches in bounds, and the other hits the pylon, would that be a reception or no? My understanding is that the pylon is in bounds, such that touching it counts as that body part touching in bounds.