Let's be clear: "the call" didn't cost Miami the game

[Spider-Dan]

Personally, for me, I would rather cause my own luck rather than be subjected to the chance of luck altering my outcome.  When I'm fighting, example, I would rather knock and / or tap someone out when I have the chance versus hoping the people judging the fight see it in my direction.  If I do something that screws my chance to end a fight early only to lose on points, who do I have to blame?  Me.  That's it.

When you place yourself in a position that relies on someone else in order to accomplish a goal (in this case the refs), you're asking for trouble.

Essentially, this can be summarized as "If you don't win decisively, you deserve to lose."

Losing to one unlucky play is bad, and being more than one play ahead is safer, I agree.  But a close game does not excuse poor officiating.  Do you remember the first Holyfield-Lewis fight, where Lewis clearly dominated the fight only to have it declared a draw?  Was that perfectly reasonable?

The major problem I have with your position is that nobody cares about bad officiating in a blowout.  That last INT by Harrison bounced off of the ground (another blown call by the refs), but nobody cared because the game was over.  Likewise, nobody would care about the blown call on the TD by Big Ben if MIA was winning by 3 touchdowns.  So basically, if we take your position that you can't blame the refs for a game-altering mistake, the refs have no accountability at all.

The only time that the officials have the spotlight on them is during important calls in close games.  They should be held responsible for their actions, particularly in those scenarios.

[StL FinFan]

^ Nobody cared on that last play if it was an INT or not because it was 4th, so Steelers ball either way.

[Dolphin-UK]

Clean and simple, if you play in such a way that you leave your result down to someone else, you haven't played well enough, you need to control your own destiny so that when those bad calls don't go your way it doesn't matter.

There was little wrong with the call, the ruling on the field was touchdown so the fact the ball came loose was irrelevant, until under review the touchdown was reversed. It's unfortunate but had it happened in the first quarter you wouldn't be as annoyed. Maine is right, although the call appeared to cost us the game, you can't leave it to chance, otherwise sometimes things don't go your way.

[Spider-Dan]

^ Nobody cared on that last play if it was an INT or not because it was 4th, so Steelers ball either way.

Right, but it was still a blown call.

The point is that bad officiating is ignored when it's irrelevant.

[jtex316]

Maine, I am totally 100% with you on this one. That call absolutely DID NOT COST the Dolphins the game. The Dolphins cost the Dolphins the game.

Let's just assume for the moment that the call was 100% in the Dolphins' favor - that they not only over-turned the TD, but the Dolphins were also awarded possession of the ball. This means that it would have been Miami ball at their own 20 yard line.

The remaining situation doesn't even come close to guaranteeing a Miami victory - and I mean not even close. There were over 2 minutes left in the contest (2:40-ish?). Pittsburgh had all three timeouts - Miami only had 1 timeout (because they blew their final time out to regroup after their misfortune). You had only a 2-point lead, against a stout defensive unit who had been holding you in check in the running game all game long with 2:30+ on the clock and all three time outs. Could Miami have gotten a first down?

Then if they didn't get the first down and had to punt it away, you had Randle El who could have provided the Steelers a decent return. Even if he didn't and would have been tackled at the point of the catch (or fair caught it), the Dolphins still would have faced a two-time winning super bowl QB with at least one timeout remaining and anywhere from 2:00 to 1:30 remaining on the clock with possibly needing only 30-40 yards to be in Reed's FG range to still win the game by 1 point.

So - even IF the Dolphins would have gotten the ball at their own 20, there were so many factors and variables left to determine that you cannot conclude that the Dolphins would have won the game if the call had turned out in Miami's favor.

And - it should also be mentioned that the Dolphins did get the ball back with over 2:00 left in the game!!! They could have mounted a small drive to get into carpenter's FG range, and booted home the game-winner (he's been insanely on fire as of late, and could have drilled home a 50+ yarder if necessary). Instead, a clock-eating draw up the middle is inexplicably called, and Fasano drops a ball that hits him right in the gut.

Also - the Dolphins connected on five field goals - FIVE. That's 15 points and a busy day for a kicker. Had any one of those trips to the red zone (there were 3 trips to the red zone that led to FGs - maybe even 4) been converted into a TD and not an FG, then the Steelers would have had to go for it on 4th and goal from the half-yard line - and there's no guarantee that they would have been able to get a half yard.

So, as the title of this thread boldly states, "The Call" did NOT cost Miami the game.

[Pappy13]

Maine, I am totally 100% with you on this one. That call absolutely DID NOT COST the Dolphins the game. The Dolphins cost the Dolphins the game.

Well now we can all sleep more sound tonight knowing that you have made your ruling.  The only person on this board more biased then the Dolphins fans. LOL

[jtex316]

Well now we can all sleep more sound tonight knowing that you have made your ruling.  The only person on this board more biased then the Dolphins fans. LOL

I just don't understand why every thread I comment on about this is barely read and then I'm attacked by the Pappy13's of the TDMMC-world.

Why can't you guys try to see this rationally? Pappy13 there is no way in hell you read this post in under 2 minutes. Try reading the full post and then formulate your response.

[dolfan13]

it wasn't just that it was a blown call... it was a blown call that gave the steelers 3 points.

evenly played game, you hand another team 3 points and that's the difference.

[jtex316]

Actually - it didn't hand the Steelers 3 points. It in fact took away the original 6 + xtra point away from the Steelers.

Lost in all of this is the fact that Sparano did challenge the play - it wasn't a review from upstairs that "screwed" the Dolphins. And, when you challenge the play, everything about the play is reviewed (the spot, the possession, the breaking or not breaking of the plane of the goal line, and etc..). He should have challenged it, definitely, as it was an obvious non-TD. But he did challenge it, leading to the sequence of events that unfolded afterwards. And, he did win the challenge - so instead of being down 27-22 and needing a TD to win, the Dolphins were down 23-22 needed an FG to win. So, the challenge actually helped the Dolphins.

The Dolphins, however, did not help the Dolphins by calling a draw up the middle with no timeouts left to start the comeback drive.

[StL FinFan]

A Steelers fan told me this morning that we got hosed.  'Nuff said.

[Phishfan]

That last INT by Harrison bounced off of the ground (another blown call by the refs), but nobody cared because the game was over. 

Actually nobody cared because it was not ruled an INT.

[dolfan13]

what are the guidelines to "visual evidence in recovery"? seems pretty wide open to referee interpretation. clearly the dolphin player emerges with the football. obviously that isn't visual evidence, so either they need to be more specific in that or they need to add this as an extension to out of bounds unrecovered fumbles through the endzone rule already in the books.

[Phishfan]

I'm reading a whole lot of ifs in this thread. IF the Queen had ball she'd be the King.

[Dolphin-UK]

what are the guidelines to "visual evidence in recovery"? seems pretty wide open to referee interpretation. clearly the dolphin player emerges with the football. obviously that isn't visual evidence, so either they need to be more specific in that or they need to add this as an extension to out of bounds unrecovered fumbles through the endzone rule already in the books.

My understanding is, that the Dolphins player running around with the ball is not visual evidence of a fumble recovery, a ref dragging players off a pile to find who has possesion is the evidence, but in a situation with lots of bodies on top there is no way from the review that you can see who recovered the ball.

Had the touchdown not been ruled, the possesion of the fumble would have been determined in the pile, leading either to a Steelers TD or a Dolphins touchback. The touchdown ruling meant the whistles blew and the recovery of possesion was not important......except of course until the review overturned the call and it occured to them that no one checked for possesion which is why they needed to review film for it, before determining that it was not determinable :-)

[MaineDolFan]

Again, one thing that I am not hearing anyone speak to:

Pittsburgh kicks the field goal and goes up by 1.  There is over 2:26 left in the game.

2:26.  In football terms, that is a loooooooooooooooooooong time.

What does Miami do with that 2:26?  

1st and 10 from the 29:  Ronnie Brown up the middle in to the teeth of the Steelers defense for a two yard gain.

Miami is now rushing around like someone just announced the field is on fire in order to get another play off before the 2:00 minute warning.  Because that's smart.

2nd and 8 from the 31:  Henne incomplete to Fasano.

Two minute warning (1:58).

3rd and 8 from the 31:  Henne to POLITE.  On THIRD AND EIGHT.  2 yard gain.  Oh, boy.  The Steelers defense is on their heals now.  We just threw a completion to LOUSAKA POLITE.  

4th and 6th from the 33:  Incomplete to Ronnie Brown (which, if caught, would have still left Miami 3 yards short of the 1st down).

Talk all you want about getting hosed.  This call didn't cost Miami the game.

Quarter 1:  Recovered fumble at the Pittsburgh 22.  Three plays later, they've gained ONE YARD and kick a field goal.

Quarter 1:  Recovered another fumble at the Pittsburgh 21.  Play 1, Williams for no gain.  Play 2, Williams for 8 yards.  Play three Williams for no gain.  Field goal.

There are three offensive series (two in Q1, one in Q4) where Miami managed 14 yards in 11 plays.  That is a stellar 1.2 yards per play average.  

Or do we want to talk about the very shoddy kick / punt returns that seemed to give Pitt the ball close to mid field almost every kick?

Or Hartline's "here, take it" fumble right into Farrior's chest?  That directly resulted in a touch down.

Or the kick from Carpenter that landed on the ten and Pittsburgh returned to the 47?  You know...the play right before Roethlisberger completed a 53 yard bomb to Mike Wallace for a touchdown?  The same play where the safety misread the coverage and didn't cheat over to help?

Yep.  Let's blame it on one call.  Good idea!