Luke Kuechly admits Panthers "might have got away with one" in 2013

[brdmaverick]

Right, it wasn't so much the 'non call' that bothered me, it was the fact that the flag WAS thrown and then picked up like a 'oh, nothing to see here'.

Was it a penalty, yes, but I wouldn't have blasted the refs had they just NEVEr thrown a flag, after all, I think we all realize you get away with a little more at the end of a game (and that home field advantage does play a role whether we like it or not).

 

[brdmaverick]

In looking at that still shot I suppose we can take some comfort in that the play was well-defended even without the PI. While Gronk had been interfered with, he still would have had no play on the ball.

 

[cmasspatsfan]

In looking at that still shot I suppose we can take some comfort in that the play was well-defended even without the PI. While Gronk had been interfered with, he still would have had no play on the ball.

If he wasn't in a bear hug he would have a really good shot at catching that ball. Watch the whole play.

 

[brdmaverick]

If he wasn't in a bear hug he would have a really good shot at catching that ball. Watch the whole play.

Was heeding your advice and searched youtube for the full play and actually stumbled on this.......

After watching it I agree with their conclusion that neither of us is right, and that it's in the middle as 'he would have had a play on the ball, but a catch would still not be likely'.

 

[Joey007]

I remember how upsetting that finish was. It really sucked.

Isn't it crazy how close that team, with its lousy receivers and all, was to being 14-2? We lost two games on extremely sketchy calls.

This game, and that Goddamn "leaping" call on Chris Jones against the Jets. I'm honestly still more pissed about that one.

 

[Joey007]

Not only was the finish upsetting, IIRC, this game was pretty much the reason the Pats couldn't get homefield advantage that season.

You know though, it probably all worked out okay. Had we beaten Denver at home, I really don't think we were equipped to beat Seattle that year.

Not to mention I hold Denver and ole Forehead getting whipped in the Super Bowl as a rather fond memory anyway.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Isn't it crazy how close that team, with its lousy receivers and all, was to being 14-2? We lost two games on extremely sketchy calls.

This game, and that Goddamn "leaping" call on Chris Jones against the Jets. I'm honestly still more pissed about that one.

IIRC that was the only time that penalty was called.

 

[Joey007]

IIRC that was the only time that penalty was called.

Wasn't it called on Tampa back in that crazy Colts Bucs game in 03?

Regardless, I think that call was way worse than the no call on Kuechly.

 

[brdmaverick]

Isn't it crazy how close that team, with its lousy receivers and all, was to being 14-2? We lost two games on extremely sketchy calls.

This game, and that Goddamn "leaping" call on Chris Jones against the Jets. I'm honestly still more pissed about that one.

Oh, I agree that the Carolina and NYJ games could have gone either way, but let's remember that a few of our wins could have gone the other direction most notably.........

1.) vs CLE - down 12 with 2 minutes to go
2.) vs DEN - down 24-0 at half
3.) vs NO - took TD with 9 seconds left ot take the lead

 

[brdmaverick]

You know though, it probably all worked out okay. Had we beaten Denver at home, I really don't think we were equipped to beat Seattle that year.

Not to mention I hold Denver and ole Forehead getting whipped in the Super Bowl as a rather fond memory anyway.

amen to that.........I agree on both accounts

 

[AtomicDawg]

You know though, it probably all worked out okay. Had we beaten Denver at home, I really don't think we were equipped to beat Seattle that year.

Not to mention I hold Denver and ole Forehead getting whipped in the Super Bowl as a rather fond memory anyway.

This is very true. Which makes our win against them in SB 49 the following year even more incredible, because THAT D was considered by some as better than the one in 2013. Amazing.

 

[Wheelman]

The game doesn't bother me too much anymore considering the critical injuries we accumulated on top of the Super Bowls we have won of late. I just wish we didn't lose Wilfork, Kelly, Mayo and Gronk. That bothers me more. Should have won the Super Bowl in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2015. But damn injuries!

 

[PatsBoy12]

I still don't get how one guy bear hugs another guy and there's not at least illegal contact or an arrest for aggravated assault.

 

[BradyFTW!]

One of the most egregious non-flags I've ever seen. This wasn't some moderately ticky-tacky "a penalty occurs on every play, gotta let the players decide the game" thing. Gronk got literally tackled while the ball was in the air. There's just no excuse not to call it, and I'd feel that way even if I wasn't a Patriots fan.

 

[Koma]

Isn't it crazy how close that team, with its lousy receivers and all, was to being 14-2? We lost two games on extremely sketchy calls.

This game, and that Goddamn "leaping" call on Chris Jones against the Jets. I'm honestly still more pissed about that one.

Thanks for reminding me of that call in OT against the Jets. The penalty was "pushing," in that you can't push a teammate from behind into the opposing line on a FG attempt as Jones was here:



An interesting twist after the game was that Belichick claimed he thought it was illegal for a player to come from the second level and push a teammate forward, but not if all the players started on the LOS. After he said that, the NFL edited the article to remove any reference to not being on the LOS. Here's the article about the edit. Here's the page on NFL.com about the rule changes. If you watch the video, Blandino even says players cannot push from the second level. Before we go too far into conspiracy land, that web page is not the official rulebook and, apparently, the rule book forbade any type of pushing. Weird, though, that the article and video both referenced the "second level" stuff.

Finally, the Jets committed the same penalty earlier in the game and were not penalized. Since it was a new rule that year, the first time it was called was later in the game against the Patriots. Almost 4 years later and it's never been called again.

 

[bresna]

One of the most egregious non-flags I've ever seen. This wasn't some moderately ticky-tacky "a penalty occurs on every play, gotta let the players decide the game" thing. Gronk got literally tackled while the ball was in the air. There's just no excuse not to call it, and I'd feel that way even if I wasn't a Patriots fan.

The only play that was worse was the Russ Francis tackle in the Raiders game back in the 1976 playoffs. Interesting article about the Panthers game - it even mentions the Francis "no penalty" call as one that might have been worse: Controversial calls and the Patriots

 

[sambam94]

never know how any ref can pick up a flag..he obviously saw enough to throw it. Another ref can come in and pretty much say no foul?

 

[patfanken]

While the sports science guys correctly showed that the LB hit Gronk about a half second before the pick, I would think that even the most rabid fan would have to admit that in the midst of a close game, at full speed, it is possible that the refs could get it wrong. So my issue has never been with the refs who were on the field, but rather the replay guys who should have caught that.

When it happened, I always thought that holding/illegal contact should have been the fairest call where the Pats would have gotten it 5 yds closer and had another shot.

BTW- hard to think of a worse one than the myriad of calls that were missed in the Oakland playoff game.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Every team "gets away with one" now and then.

That's why Brady's reaction was perfect. He said it would have been "fun" to have one play to win the game, but wasn't crying...typical Brady. He knows regular season games (like this one) and Playoff Games (like "Roughing the Passer" and "The Tuck Rule Game") turn on calls you get and calls you don't get. Damn, I wish he could be here for another 16 seasons.

 

[JJC]

Every team "gets away with one" now and then.

That's why Brady's reaction was perfect. He said it would have been "fun" to have one play to win the game, but wasn't crying...typical Brady. He knows regular season games (like this one) and Playoff Games (like "Roughing the Passer" and "The Tuck Rule Game") turn on calls you get and calls you don't get. Damn, I wish he could be here for another 16 seasons.

Or an entire offensive line holding their defensive players, including a hand under a player's facemask, while their QB gets surrounded and is "in the grasp" (a rule I hate, btw)...yet, he still is given a chance to throw the ball that results in a completely freak catch?