Wow. What a finish. I cannot believe what I witnessed. I feel like I am dreaming and that I am going to wake up soon. I will discuss the final play and replay officials only in this. The game was amazing and the fact we even had a chance to win it in such a fashion is incredible. But the final play decided the game. You never want to see a referee’s call decide a game, but that’s what it came down to.
First off, my initial reaction. My very first thought watching the play live was that it was a simultaneous catch. I’ve seen a few of them in the NFL, so I know how the rules go. What I saw was Jennings in better position but Golden Tate catching the ball NEARLY simultaneously as they fell to the ground. The rule states that whoever gets control of the ball first is the one who gets the ball for their team. That, in my opinion regarding to this catch, is up for debate. Tons of receivers can control balls with one hand, plus Golden did in fact get his arm underneath M.D. Jennings’. Now, if the catch is simultaneous, the tie goes to the offense, which is what was ruled.
People are going to say this was one of the worst calls in NFL history. I don’t think it was. Was it absolutely clear cut that M.D. Jennings intercepted the ball? No! Was it a good call? I don’t think that, either. I think it was a call that 4 out of every 5 referees would make in favor of the Packers, but we got the 1 that made the call in favor of the Seahawks. It’s a closer play than people realize.
As for the replacement officials, I just feel bad for them. Refereeing an NFL game has got to be so hard to do both physically and mentally. They were thrust into this essentially new game where calls have to be made even quicker. They are doing their best, but it’s not up to par as to what we’re used to. I still blame the NFL for not having better prepared officials in case of a lockout. But if there ever is another lockout, this sure taught them a lesson.
To summarize, the call could have gone either way, and maybe home field advantage influenced the officials. I do believe Golden Tate had partial control of the ball. I do believe that if you watch the replay, by the time M.D. Jennings has full control of the ball, that Golden Tate has it in his arms as well, which could be ruled as control as well. I agree with everyone else, however. These replacement refs need to go. They are leaving a bad taste in the fans mouths, they are ruining the integrity of the game, and frankly they are making the game a lot less fun to watch. Imagine if they have to stay the entire season and *GULP* the postseason and Super Bowl. Fans of the 31 other teams that didn’t win the Super Bowl would argue that the season was tainted by the replacement officials and that the championship is not deserved. They still might if the NFL doesn’t fix this thing fast.
No comments:
Post a Comment