Lifestyle > Sports & Entertainment
Packers vs Seahawks WTF ? Lmao @ the replacement refs
The_Ripper:
Maybe they'll call it the Immaculate Non-Interception.
In a nightmare scenario for NFL commissioner Roger Goodell — and in what will surely go down as one of the most controversial, egregiously blown game-deciding calls in league history — replacement officials Monday night awarded a Hail Mary touchdown catch to Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Golden Tate with no time left, which defeated the visiting Green Bay Packers, 14-12.
With eight seconds left in the game and Green Bay ahead 12-7, Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson heaved a high desperation pass into the end zone from the Packers 39-yard line.
There, Green Bay defensive back M.D. Jennings grabbed the ball first, and appeared to have sole possession of it as players from both sides fought to get their hands on it. But as Jennings was coming down, Tate got one or both of his hands on the ball as well. He yanked as the two hit the ground.
Jennings fell on top of Tate.
Two replacement officials ran toward the two players, who continued fighting for the ball on the ground, with Jennings on top of Tate. Then the two players rolled, each with both hands still on the ball. A few seconds later, one official appeared to wave his arms over his head, as if to indicate he was about to motion for a touchback — meaning interception.
But another official ruled touchdown first, presumably based on the simultaneous-catch rule.
A couple of minutes later, a video review upheld the call, as the Seahawks and nearly 70,000 fans went bonkers.
The Packers were as incredulous as they were livid.
Five minutes at least went by before Packers players fished their helmets out of a travel bin to line up for the mandatory, but superfluous, extra point.
Later, Packers guard T.J. Lang probably spoke for many of his teammates when he tweeted, "Got f---ed by the refs.. Embarrassing. Thanks nfl.
He continued.
"F--- it NFL. Fine me and use the money to pay the regular refs."
The simultaneous-catch rule states:
"If a pass is caught simultaneously by two eligible opponents, and both retain it, the ball belongs to the (passing team)."
The rule, however, further states: "It is not a simultaneous catch if a player gains control first and an opponent subsequently gains joint control."
That is exactly what appeared to have happened.
The Twittersphere immediately went insane, with the near unanimous opinion being that the Packers got jobbed.
Slow-motion replays appeared to show that only Jennings had both hands firmly on the ball all the way to the ground, and that Tate might have had one — or even both hands — on the ball at one or more points on the way to the ground, but not both the whole way, as Jennings had.
Furthermore, Tate was reaching in toward Jennings to pull the ball out on the way to the ground, another indication it was Jennings' catch to begin with.
Once both players were on the ground fighting for the ball, however, it did appear to be a case of simultaneous possession. Perhaps the official who ruled touchdown believed neither player had control until that point, or perhaps he had no idea who had possession until that point — and thus decided it was a case of simultaneous possession, and thus a touchdown.
I watched it live on TV, and on first viewing it looked for all the world like an interception to me. Every replay I've seen supports that view.
Even more upsetting to Packers fans, no doubt, is that before Seattle's Tate leaped for the ball, he clearly shoved Packers defensive back Sam Shields forward and out of the way — obvious offensive pass interference.
But, it must be said, even regular referees rarely ever throw a flag for pass interference against either side on a jump-ball Hail Mary pass. That one was a particularly extreme transgression, however.
Seattle thus improved to 2-1, and Green Bay dropped to 1-2. If the winning pass had been ruled an interception, the team's records would be swapped.
Packers head coach Mike McCarthy refused to comment on the officiating afterward, but did confirm his defenders told him that Jennings came down with the ball.
Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who was sacked eight times in a first half dominated by the Seahawks' great defence, appeared extremely upset in his post-game news conference.
"It was awful," Rodgers said of watching the deciding play on a replay in the locker room. "Just look at the replay. And the fact that is was reviewed. It was awful.
"It sucks to lose, and it's even worse when it goes that way. But we'll go home and get ready for New Orleans ... It's frustrating."
There were blown calls all game long — ticky-tack penalties for things seldom ever flagged, penalties called on legal actions, and non-calls of egregious fouls.
ESPN's game commentator, ex-coach Jon Gruden, said it was the worst officiated game he could remember seeing.
This game was the last of Week 3 of the NFL's regular season. Replacement officials have been used in all 48 games, as well as in all four weeks of pre-season games in August.
The NFL has locked out is regular officials, as both sides remain miles apart on a new collective bargaining agreement. Talks resumed on the weekend in private, with little if any progress reported.
The replacements — recruited mostly from the lowest ranks of American college football — are each pocketing either $3,500 (referees) or $3,000 (all other officials such as linesmen, umpires, back judges, et al) per game.
Egregious errors by the replacements have occurred with greater frequency, and amid increasing outrage, with each passing week. Coaches and players have spoken up with greater frequency too, on the field and off.
After Sunday's debacles, everybody's patience with the replacements appeared to be at a breaking point in the hours before Monday's debacle.
Chamillitary Click:
I lost so much money.
Hack Wilson - real:
--- Quote from: Chamillitary Click on September 25, 2012, 08:25:58 AM ---I lost so much money.
--- End quote ---
haha you and Vegas. how much did you lose overall?
Hack Wilson - real:
here is my take on the refs:
YES these guys are completely inferior at calling the games properly because every play they fail to call most holding and personal foul calls
WITH THAT SAID I AM LOVING the physicality of the NFL again...unlike the last 5 years or so you can no longer run into the middle of the field without paying the price JUST LIKE THE OLD DAYS 8)
the NFL was turning so pussified ever since Tom Brady got hurt in 2008 that it wasn't nearly the same product week by week. Every week you saw RETARDED "roughing the passer" calls constantly effect games
now the QB's are getting hit again and I love it....the offensive numbers are still crazy but not as crazy as last year. I don't want the NFL to turn into the Arena League which it was on pace to do, especially last year! all those passing yards were retarded.
When the normal refs come back watch every quarterback throw for 4,000 yards, even Mark Sanchez lol
I don't feel bad for the Packers one bit either...they've won a lot more than Seattle ever has so boo hoo if something goes against them in one game.
The_Ripper:
NFL statement on Hail Mary call:
(The following is a statement issued by the NFL regarding Golden Tate's game-winning touchdown catch at the conclusion of Monday night's game between the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks:)
In Monday's game between the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks, Seattle faced a 4th-and-10 from the Green Bay 24 with eight seconds remaining in the game.
Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson threw a pass into the end zone. Several players, including Seattle wide receiver Golden Tate and Green Bay safety M.D. Jennings, jumped into the air in an attempt to catch the ball.
While the ball is in the air, Tate can be seen shoving Green Bay cornerback Sam Shields to the ground. This should have been a penalty for offensive pass interference, which would have ended the game. It was not called and is not reviewable in instant replay.
When the players hit the ground in the end zone, the officials determined that both Tate and Jennings had possession of the ball. Under the rule for simultaneous catch, the ball belongs to Tate, the offensive player. The result of the play was a touchdown.
Replay Official Howard Slavin stopped the game for an instant replay review. The aspects of the play that were reviewable included if the ball hit the ground and who had possession of the ball. In the end zone, a ruling of a simultaneous catch is reviewable. That is not the case in the field of play, only in the end zone.
Referee Wayne Elliott determined that no indisputable visual evidence existed to overturn the call on the field, and as a result, the on-field ruling of touchdown stood. The NFL Officiating Department reviewed the video today and supports the decision not to overturn the on-field ruling following the instant replay review.
The result of the game is final.
Applicable rules to the play are as follows:
A player (or players) jumping in the air has not legally gained possession of the ball until he satisfies the elements of a catch listed here.
Rule 8, Section 1, Article 3 of the NFL Rule Book defines a catch:
A forward pass is complete (by the offense) or intercepted (by the defense) if a player, who is inbounds:
(a) secures control of the ball in his hands or arms prior to the ball touching the ground; and
(b) touches the ground inbounds with both feet or with any part of his body other than his hands; and
(c) maintains control of the ball long enough, after (a) and (b) have been fulfilled, to enable him to perform any act common to the game (i.e., maintaining control long enough to pitch it, pass it, advance with it, or avoid or ward off an opponent, etc.).
When a player (or players) is going to the ground in the attempt to catch a pass, Rule 8, Section 1, Article 3, Item 1 states:
Player Going to the Ground. If a player goes to the ground in the act of catching a pass (with or without contact by an opponent), he must maintain control of the ball throughout the process of contacting the ground, whether in the field of play or the end zone. If he loses control of the ball, and the ball touches the ground before he regains control, the pass is incomplete. If he regains control prior to the ball touching the ground, the pass is complete.
Rule 8, Section 1, Article 3, Item 5 states:
Simultaneous Catch. If a pass is caught simultaneously by two eligible opponents, and both players retain it, the ball belongs to the passers. It is not a simultaneous catch if a player gains control first and an opponent subsequently gains joint control. If the ball is muffed after simultaneous touching by two such players, all the players of the passing team become eligible to catch the loose ball.
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