Does the NFL admit they screwed up again?

[Triumph]

Can we stop this? Did the Patriots make mistakes? Yes. Did that refs blow that game? Yes. And it's not an either/or.

And frankly, they far from screwed themselves. They were playing one of the best NFL teams, on the road, on Monday night, in an extremely loud stadium, and fought for 60 minutes. They made some mistakes, but they played some damn good football last night.

Fumbling in the redzone is giving away at least 3 points.

The pass rush stunk. Newton had his way most of the game.

 

[stevedogc]

Now you are getting it.

I guess. No accountability on poor officiating. That makes the game fun.

 

[sb1]

Initial contact with Gronk happened basically at the same spot where the int was made. Gronk was clearly trying to come back for the ball and the ball still would have traveled another couple of yards if not for the int. How many times do we see PI called on an underthrown ball where the CB is not looking back and runs into the WR who is trying to come or reach back to make a play? That is always called PI, how is this any different?

Yes I've seen something like that called before. But I really don't think it was as obvious a blown call as people are saying it was. At best it was a 50-50 call that just won't get called on a game deciding play.

But they should not have picked up the flag and walked off with no explanation. That's where they screwed up, more than the call itself.

 

[Nunchucks]

Fumbling in the redzone is giving away at least 3 points.

The pass rush stunk. Newton had his way most of the game.

To be fair, the pass rush strategy was to keep him in the pocket, they had to keep their rush lanes so he couldn't run. Granted, he still made 3 first down scrambles on 3rd down, which is complete failure, but the pass rush was a controlled rush. I would not blame it for the failures of the Patriots.

 

[Nunchucks]

I guess. No accountability on poor officiating. That makes the game fun.

that's right, there is no accountability for poor officiating. There is nothing anybody can do about it, but whine and complain...I think of it more as random obstacles in the game. Poor officiating is part of what a team has to deal with, it is the wild card or joker in a deck.

 

[Nunchucks]

Yes I've seen something like that called before. But I really don't think it was as obvious a blown call as people are saying it was. At best it was a 50-50 call that just won't get called on a game deciding play.

But they should not have picked up the flag and walked off with no explanation. That's where they screwed up, more than the call itself.

It was a bad no call, that was PI if I ever saw it.

 

[Galeb]

The refs can change their mind if they determine the ball is not catchable. We actually lost that game long ago, so it should never have come to that. A disappointing performance after a long bye.They look soft and rusty.

First off, a ball has to be obviously uncatchable. In this case, the ball was caught where contact was made that pushed Gronk to the back of the end zone. Second, if it wasn't a catchable ball, it would still be holding.

 

[Galeb]

I think of it more as random obstacles in the game.

That is why you are wrong. You are thinking of it as something that it is not.

 

[stcjones]

On the bright side, I think the offense answered some questions last night. That is a good thing moving forward.

Agree that there was some good with Vereen coming back and being extremely productive, and KT showing up with some big plays....Gronk was not utilized enough/MCD did little creatively to try to free gronk up to get more looks......but Gronk is gronk and he is awesome......Dobson continues to improve...Amendola, while no Welker is a great playmaker...Edelman is a little beast.....now we get to the bad and what WORRIES me moving forward.

Our Anemic offensive line. Solder has been blown up or out played ALOT.....Mankins got his payday and has been playing SUBPAR ever since.....the rest of the OL has not been overly impressive and is once again a WEAKNESS for this team.

Ridley....what do you do with this guy? Every time he touches the ball you can see everyone on the coaching staff (and EVERY Pats fan) CRINGE.....No one can have ANY CONFIDENCE In this kid anymore. He has fumbled the ball in HUGELY important spots REPEATEDLY......I think he should be riding the pine to be used ONLY if we have NO other options. Blount, Bolden, Vereen.....we can get it done with them and they know how to secure the ball. Ridley should be moved after the season is over....or for a draft pick if anyone would take him NOW.......

 

[Nunchucks]

That is why you are wrong. You are thinking of it as something that it is not.

No, it really is a random obstacle. You never know when they will call something that players have been doing all game or vice versa. It is supposed to be consistent and blah blah blah....now the reality of it is that it is not.

 

[stevedogc]

Gronk could not have caught the ball.

This place has turned into a whiny snow bowl Raider fans board.

There is a huge difference in the ball being deemed "uncatchable" and a player not catching a ball. No where in the rules does it give the refs the discretion of determining if a player will make the catch. And I agree with you to a point. If you take away the Carolina defenders and it was just Gronk alone in the EZ it he porbably would not have made the catch. It was under thrown and Gronk would have had to make a shoe string catch if he was able to stop in time. But he still would have been able to make a play on the ball.

 

[Charlotte Pats Fan]

No, it really is a random obstacle. You never know when they will call something that players have been doing all game or vice versa. It is supposed to be consistent and blah blah blah....now the reality of it is that it is not.

Should be a reasonable expectation that a play like that is called a penalty.

I'll bet you anything you want that if a Pats defender does that to a Broncos receiver next Sunday it will be a penalty.

 

[stcjones]

First off, a ball has to be obviously uncatchable. In this case, the ball was caught where contact was made that pushed Gronk to the back of the end zone. Second, if it wasn't a catchable ball, it would still be holding.

You are correct sir......A flag was thrown...the official SAW THE HOLD....but was talked out of it by the head official. Maybe....they were afraid for their lives.....NO OTHER way to explain it....

 

[Nunchucks]

Should be a reasonable expectation that a play like that is called a penalty.

I'll bet you anything you want that if a Pats defender does that to a Broncos receiver next Sunday it will be a penalty.

If penalties were called consistently, the Patriots would be the first team to go 19-0....so, yeah....

 

[stevedogc]

You are correct sir......A flag was thrown...the official SAW THE HOLD....but was talked out of it by the head official. Maybe....they were afraid for their lives.....NO OTHER way to explain it....

Does anyone know where the head official was during tha play. The official who made the initial call was about 3 yards away from it. You think he would have the best position to make the play. And I agree, it was a hometown call.

 

[oldskool138]

It was under thrown and Gronk would have had to make a shoe string catch if he was able to stop in time. But he still would have been able to make a play on the ball.

It wasn't underthrown. Look at the replay. Gronk attempts to plant his back foot and come back to the ball and, while doing that, is bear-hugged by the defender. The Panthers player who made the pick made it with his arms extended laterally to his right. If the ball were underthrown, the defender would have also had to have made a shoetop catch with his arms much much closer to the ground.

 

[upstater1]

According to some Patriot fans, the Patriots must now be up at least 2 scores in order to win a game, to protect against bad calls. It's the NFL after all, the other team just won 5 games in a row, if you expect to win, you better beat them by 10!

 

[Charlotte Pats Fan]

If penalties were called consistently, the Patriots would be the first team to go 19-0....so, yeah....

Yeah I know don't remind me. Thing is the refs had a choice of 3 different penalties to call on that one play last night..

 

[Bobs My Uncle]

If you believe that PI occurs when a defender is not playing the ball and restricts the receiver's ability to make a play on the ball, then this play was as obvious a PI as they come and gets called almost always.

As far as the defin of "catchable" goes ..... who the heck knows for sure. I guess this is the leagues "out clause" on such controversial plays. However, almost always "uncatchable" is referenced in cases where the ball is clearly overthrown - such as beyond the EZ/sidelines or if tossed a significant distance over a receivers head (if in the field of play) - and not as a result of the pass being short of the receiver as a result of the receiver being clearly and obviously impeded with.

 

[stevedogc]

It wasn't underthrown. Look at the replay. Gronk attempts to plant his back foot and come back to the ball and, while doing that, is bear-hugged by the defender. The Panthers player who made the pick made it with his arms extended laterally to his right. If the ball were underthrown, the defender would have also had to have made a shoetop catch with his arms much much closer to the ground.

Yeah, he comes back to the ball cause it was not going to hit him in stride. Not sure what else to call that other then underthrown. The Panthers defender who made the pic was about 3 yards in front of Gronk prior to the hold.