Patriots Screwed - Ref Picks Up Pass Interference Flag

[Jim Gray]

Last night MNF game between the Pats and Panthers ended with a controversial play.  It appeared that there was a clear pass interference penalty on a receiver in the end zone.  The ref threw a flag, but after some discussion, the flag was picked up and the game was over.

The announcers were in disbelief, and despite an explanation from a rules expert (ex head of officials?), they felt the Pats were royally screwed.

To recent comment from our good friend Hoody (when referring to a recent call against the Dolphins) sums up my feelings today - "It was a terrible call, and I couldn't be happier". 
 

[Dave Gray]

I don't think it was a terrible call.  I think it was the right call.

The ball was already on the way and it was grossly underthrown, Gronk's route was cut off by , and there's no chance of him even getting close to the play, much less actually making a play.  If anything, the receiver getting in his way just slowed Gronk and made it look like there was a chance at it.

In fact, I wish this were taken into consideration more often.  Giving the flag there would gift the Patriots yards that they didn't earn.  Had the defender not touched Gronk at all, there's no chance at a play on the ball.  The contact, in that case, didn't matter at all.

[MikeO]

That was an awful call. They could have called PI or holding.....take your pick. Not to mention he was face guarding Gronk and the defender had no idea where the ball was which also draws a flag.

I'm not gonna cry because I hate NE and am glad they lost but the Pats got screwed lets just be honest about it. That call was beyond terrible. Now all it would have done is give NE one more play so who knows if they score anyway but still....that was one of the worst calls ever!

[Phishfan]

^^^ PI does not count if the ball is uncatchable. I'm going to need to look up the video.

[Dave Gray]

I don't think it can be holding because the ball is in the air.  And I don't think faceguarding applies either, since it was away from the play.

I think this all hinges on the fact that there's no way Gronk can make a play on the ball since it's way behind him and he has momentum away from the play already. 

[MikeO]

I don't think it can be holding because the ball is in the air.  And I don't think faceguarding applies either, since it was away from the play.

I think this all hinges on the fact that there's no way Gronk can make a play on the ball since it's way behind him and he has momentum away from the play already. 

It was holding. He was bear hugging Gronk. I don't care if the ball is in the air or not you can't hold a receiver. And holding doesn't matter if he can make a play on the ball or not. If a CB was holding a WR on the other side of the field, doesn't matter that the ball was thrown to another WR or TE. Holding is Holding!

It was a bad call....no way to spin this Dave

[EKnight]

It was the right call... No way to spin this.


Rule 8, Section 5, Article 3 Permissible Acts
Article 3 Permissible Acts by both teams while the ball is in the air. Acts that are permissible by a player include, but are not limited to:
(c) Contact that would normally be considered pass interference, but the pass is clearly uncatchable by the involved players, except as specified in 8-3-2 and 8-5-4 pertaining to blocking downfield by the offense.

-EK

[Phishfan]

I think holding might have been the right call to make in this instance.

[Sunstroke]

I watched that replay a few times, and I think a holding call would have been the right one as well.

[EKnight]

This site- which is a Pats site, btw- breaks down the entire play and every possible rule violation and why it was the CORRECT call. If you understand the rules as they are laid out, there's not a dispute.

http://www.patspulpit.com/2013/11/19/5121100/rules-breaking-down-the-final-play

Cliff's notes: once the ball leaves the QB's hands, holding is no longer an infraction. The only possible call that can be made is PI. The ball wasn't catchable, so there's no PI call. End of story. -EK

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

This site- which is a Pats site, btw- breaks down the entire play and every possible rule violation and why it was the CORRECT call. If you understand the rules as they are laid out, there's not a dispute.

http://www.patspulpit.com/2013/11/19/5121100/rules-breaking-down-the-final-play -EK

The author of that piece is not a Patriots fan.  He recently was promoting a theory that the entire Bill Belichick coaching tree is double agents.  (Left the team but remained loyal to BB and purposefully lose when playing the Patriots). 

[Spider-Dan]

By rule, you cannot call defensive holding when the ball is in the air.  It's pass interference or nothing.

Pass interference cannot apply on a ball deemed uncatchable (or if it's tipped before reaching the target).

[Phishfan]

^^^ I was wondering about that but did not know if it was a college rule and not NFL. I have not seen the official write-up but ESPN said they pulled it and it made no mention at all about the ball in the air.

[EKnight]

The author of that piece is not a Patriots fan.  He recently was promoting a theory that the entire Bill Belichick coaching tree is double agents.  (Left the team but remained loyal to BB and purposefully lose when playing the Patriots). 

I defer to your knowledge on that, but it doesn't detract from the fact that the explanation is correct and as Spider and I both pointed out, the only possible call was PI, which was not called because the ball was not catchable. -EK

[fyo]

^^^ I was wondering about that but did not know if it was a college rule and not NFL. I have not seen the official write-up but ESPN said they pulled it and it made no mention at all about the ball in the air.

EK quoted the rule. Seems pretty clear. Just another example of a rule the talking heads get wrong every time.