Pittsburgh-Baltimore call reversal

[Phishfan]

Was anyone else watching the game live or see it during the highlights? I really didn't see any evidence to overturn the call no matter how it was called on the field. The spirit of the replay rule is indisputable evidence and this call was far from it in my opinion.

[Brian Fein]

It looked to me like the ball broke the plane of the line.  If you consider the flight path of the ball, the catch was made when it changed direction from towards the end zone to away from the end zone.  If that's true, then as long as the ball breaks the plane during the play, its a TD. 

I agreed with the reversal but the replay was kinda sketchy.  It was hard to tell.  Of course there's probably Ravens' message boards all over the web calling bullshit on that one. 

I'm curious what the NFL will say.  I think this is a good argument for high-speed replay (a.k.a. super-slow-mo) for the refs' hood.

[Phishfan]

the replay was kinda sketchy.  It was hard to tell. 

That is my point. The replay rule is for indisputable evidence. You just made my case.

[CF DolFan]

I didn't thinnk there was "conclusive" evidence to show the ball touched the line. It was close but not obvious as I couldn't distinguish betwen his arm and the ball.  I would have left it as was made on the field.  

I also didn't understand how the "spot" challenge earlier wasn't reversed in that game.  

[BigDaddyFin]

I have to admit I was stunned they overturned it from being a no-touchdown ball at the 1 inch line to a touchdown.

It didn't seem to me that the ball ever crossed the plane of the goalline, but also I blame Big Ben for spiking the ball on 1st and goal.  They had ample time there and if he didn't waste that down, we might not be talking about this. 

[Brian Fein]

That is my point. The replay rule is for indisputable evidence. You just made my case.

I didn't make your case at all.  I said sketchy, as in it wasn't clear but you could still make out colors, and there was clearly brown (ball) between his hands (white gloves) above the white line.  If the ball never cleared broke the plane of the line, how did the brown color get there?

It wasn't crystal, it was streaky, but it looked like a TD to me.

[Phishfan]

^^^Maybe we are using the word "sketchy" in different ways, but the use of that word made me believe that there was a doubt as in it was "sketchy". If there is a doubt you are not suppose to overturn the call on the field. Thus you made my point unless you mean sketchy in some other way.

[Brian Fein]

I meant sketchy as in "not crystal clear because the camera was moving as the action was happenning.  Maybe "streaky" is a more accurate term.

[NADS]

That is my point. The replay rule is for indisputable evidence. You just made my case.

Agreed.  Didn't look indisputable.  Some teams get those calls as Tommy likes to say.

[StL FinFan]

Does anyone really think they would not have scored a TD if the ball was placed one inch from the goal line?

[SportsChick]

Maybe not, considering it was 4th down

[NADS]

Maybe not, considering it was 4th down

Yep. Who knows?  Ravens D is nasty so it makes it interesting and it was in Baltimore so the stadium would have been rockin'.  It wouldn't have been a cake walk.

[StL FinFan]

Yep. Who knows?  Ravens D is nasty so it makes it interesting and it was in Baltimore so the stadium would have been rockin'.  It wouldn't have been a cake walk.

If this is true, then they should not have been down in the red zone in the first place.

[NADS]

If this is true, then they should not have been down in the red zone in the first place.

What, you've never seen a goal line fumble?  "You gotta fight for every inch!" 

[YoFuggedaboutit]

I meant sketchy as in "not crystal clear because the camera was moving as the action was happenning.  Maybe "streaky" is a more accurate term.

This is why I have to disagree with the call reversal.  There has to be INDISPUTABLE evidence in order to overturn a call.  By you saying the replay was "sketchy" or "streaky" you're saying that the evidence was not INDISPUTABLE.