Controversey in Denver

[Phishfan]

^^^ Yes I read that in my research. No wonder the NFL can't get things straight. They make a rule that supercedes another rule but never correct the wording.

[Brian Fein]

Firstly, Brady gets away with Intentional Grounding almost every game.  They never call it.  But, in yesterday's game, almost every time I thought he should get called, the ball went in the direction of an elegible receiver.  Although, it was quite underthrown and short and uncatchable, that's a loophole in the rule.

The non-called interference - in a ticky-tack game where the refs have laundry on the field every play, that would probably be called.  It wasn't excessive, but REFS MISS CALLS EVERY PLAY.  it happens.  If the Patriots are blaming that one play as why they lost, then they should re-look at their tackles' play and figure out why they couldn't block Ware and Miller all game.  Maybe re-evaluate their protection packages and think about how they've ignored any semblance of a running game for 10 years and they'll realize why they lost.

[Tenshot13]

Here's another thing on your so called "Controversy"...did you really think Gronk was going to catch that ball when he was blanketed by two defenders?  It's not unheard of, especially for Gronk, but it was unlikely he would have caught that without what you call PI (which was ticky-tacky at best)...

Look at this GIF D4L...watch it...keep watching it...watch it loop over and over.  Do you REALLY think this is PI?  If the answer is yes, then you really are a Pats fan.  If it is no, you're still a Pats fan, but your starting to hide it better again.

EDIT:  Sorry, it was THREE defenders...

[Dave Gray]

I don't think you can look at one play in a game like this and ask if the refs blew a call -- especially with pass interference.  There's simultaneously pass interference and holding on just about every play, on both sides of the ball.  There's so much judgment.  Besides, it's one play.  The Pats couldn't score TDs all game.  So, it doesn't excuse a bad call, but there are so many opportunities to make plays in a game that choosing one play late is lazy criticism, in my opinion.

[Cathal]

Continuously watching that gif, I hold onto my opinion that it wasn't PI. Talib wasn't interfering with Gronk. And when you see the end of the replay, Gronk is holding onto the fabric behind his helmet. He thought Talib was holding him down by his shoulders. In actuality, Talib jumped first, which caused Gronk to not jump as high because Gronk jumped into Talib. It's a very good non-call.

[Run Ricky Run]

His td catch could have been offensive pass interference. That call you are referencing is never going to get called. It was a Hail Mary type pass into double coverage.

[Brian Fein]

I'd also argue that the ball was uncatchable.  Four players jumped for a ball in the back of the end zone and it sailed over all of them.  That's a big component...

[Phishfan]

^^^ Not that I think the was a PI to be called but Talib is five inches shorter than Gronk and Talib got his hand on the ball. I don't think it would have been out of Gronk's reach.

[MaineDolFan]

Andrea the Giant couldn't have caught that pass.

[Phishfan]

Andrea the Giant couldn't have caught that pass.

Becasue Talib has an amazing vertical I guess? He had his hand on it. A guy five inches taller can't get to it? I'm not arguing PI but that ball definitely was not in the uncatchable range.

[Brian Fein]

I don't know for sure but I'd guess Talib has a higher vertical leap than Gronk, just based on body mass.

Edit looked it up:

Gronk 33.5"
Talib: 38"

Edit to add - Look at the end of that gif, when the ball goes by it appears that the yellow in the bottom of the screen is the crossbar.  So that ball is roughly 10 feet off the ground when it crosses the end line.  Gronk is a beast but I don't think even he could come down with that ball if there was no one near him for 10 yards.  Even Talib, who was the only one that got a hand on it, just barely hit it with his fingertips...

[Sunstroke]

Andrea the Giant couldn't have caught that pass.

Is she related to the late, great Andre the Giant?

[Phishfan]

Look at the end of that gif, when the ball goes by it appears that the yellow in the bottom of the screen is the crossbar.  So that ball is roughly 10 feet off the ground when it crosses the end line.  Gronk is a beast but I don't think even he could come down with that ball if there was no one near him for 10 yards.  Even Talib, who was the only one that got a hand on it, just barely hit it with his fingertips...

Don't look at that video. Look at another angle if you want to see how far in bounds they were. The inclusion of the crossbar shows more about camera angle than anything to do with position on the field. The feet are still inside the painted letter "O" in Broncos when they jump. That tells you they are probably six feet inside the endzone still. Also, the height of the ball crossing the end line is after Talib has his hand on it. I can bat a ball ten more feet in the air after contact that doesn't mean I couldn't catch it.

And to consider your 10 feet issue and Gronk not being able to get there, the guy is 6'5" has 33 1/2" vertical. He could damn near headbutt 10" without raising his arms.

[Tenshot13]

Is she related to the late, great Andre the Giant?

What a coincident...Andrea the Giant was the name of my slumpbuster in college...

[dolphins4life]

Here's a disturbing fact:

The Patriots could have at least nine super bowls if not for bad officiating

2005: PI call on Samuel plus missed call on forced fumble on INT return
2006: Five bad calls against Indy in the AFC title game
2007: Missed holding call on the Tyree play
2013: Missed holding call on the first drive of the AFC title game.
2015: Missed PI on Gronk in the endzone.