The only thing left are the excuses...

[MaineDolFan]

So I'm watching the end of the game, wrapped up in my little blanket with a gallon of Vick's Vapor goo all over me and the humidifier pumping enough steam into my room to make it look like Cheech moved in...the first thing I hear our local TV station say is:

"Some questionable calls."

Really?  Like what?

Assed.handed.to.you.  

Period.  Like I wasn't sick enough.

Now go home and watch the playoffs with the rest of us.

Before anyone calls me out on anything, let me be the first to say yes, I called the Pats to win this one.

Thank God I was wrong.

[jtex316]

The one play, and not that it mattered anyways, that was questionable was the 99-yard return by Champ bailey that was fumbled out of the back of the end-zone by Ben Watson, hustling his ass down there.

The more I look at it, the more I believe the ball clearly sails through the upright and out of the end-zone.  Remember, the pilon (any part of the pilon including the side facing the sideline) is the end-zone.  All the ball has to do is touch that invisible line (that is also around the world - the goaline that is), and it's a touchback.  This could probably be proven Geometrically, by calculating speed, angle of deflection, height, and trajectory of the football in relation to the field.

But the Pats still had a chance for a comeback even after that and Brady threw a bomb pick, so it ended that right there too.

[MaineDolFan]

I can see that and I agree.  The only issue that I have with someone stating the "questionable calls" were a contributing factor to their loss is this:

Was it a questionable call when Brady got picked in the first place?  Or when they fumbled not one, but two kick offs?  Or a Kevin Faulk fumble?

Denver hammered them from beginning to end.

I'm with Joe on that one call tho, that ball was in front of the pilon.

[JVides]

Questionable calls were not what did the Pats in.  Mostly, it was Brady getting his ass kicked on every other play.  That, and the 37 fumbles...

[Philly Fin Fan]

I'd say the pass interference call against Samuel in the endzone was questionable. It lead to Denver getting a first and goal at the 1 yd line, and a Mike Anderson TD run.. In my opinion, they could've called offensive pass interference, and backed up Denver.

[jtex316]

I'm still pissed at the head official, Jeff Tripplette.  Not only is he the worst NFL official, I knew he was going to not only not over-turn the call, he was going to pretty much say "F it, calls stands, don't like it tough".  

If the head official was either Ed Hoculi or Mike Carey, you would have been given a throrough explanation of what happened, and the fact that video didn't give an inconclusive evidence.  Tripplette doesn't explain shit EVER, all he says was "New england challenges the play' in his stupid redneck accent, and then doesn't explain his results.  Mike Carey and Ed Hoculi make everyone completely understand everyting that's going on with calls on the field.  Sometimes Larry Neimers does it, but sometimes he fails too.

[Dave Gray]

I thought the initial call was correct, and I think that the replay call was correct.  It looked to me that the ball went out of bounds right where it was spotted, and there was certainly no evidence to overturn the call.

[YoFuggedaboutit]

I thought the initial call was correct, and I think that the replay call was correct.  It looked to me that the ball went out of bounds right where it was spotted, and there was certainly no evidence to overturn the call.

I do agree there.  It was kinda hard to tell where the ball went out.  That said, it was funny to see Chump Bailey end up like Leon Lett in Super Bowl XXVII.  

The other questionable call, and this was clearly questionable, was the pass interference on Asante Samuel in the end zone.  It looked as if both guys were going for the ball, and Samuel simply stumbled over his own feet.  Not his fault.  

[MaineDolFan]

The other questionable call, and this was clearly questionable, was the pass interference on Asante Samuel in the end zone.  It looked as if both guys were going for the ball, and Samuel simply stumbled over his own feet.  Not his fault.  

Nope.  Watch it again.  Right BEFORE they reached the end zone, Samuel stepped into the WR's path and suddenly lost a step, making the WR slow up his path and bump into him.  You can't impede a receiver's ability to get to the ball.  Once the ball got there it was cleanly played, but you have to allow the WR the ability to make a play on the ball and Samuel didn't.  It was a good call.

[Brian Fein]

I don't think the interference call was valid cause the ball was madly uncatchable.  You can argue all day long if the corner was suddenly hobbled and backed into Lelie.  However, its a tactic used all over the league - how to impede a runner's progress WHILE playing the ball.  That's the thing about pass interference - any WR can run up on the back of a corner and fall down and they draw the flag.

As for the Champ Bailey play, the replay was clearly inconclusive.  Only the goodyear blimp could have given a conclusive angle.  But how awesome was it to see big Ben Watson come flying his ass down the field and clean Chump's clock?  I loved it.  Only on a Belichick team does the TE on the back side of the play sprint 100 yards (with an angle) to knock the crap out of a defender and save the TD.

And, to jtex's point, Jeff Triplette is an embarrassment to NFL officiating.  His field judge is visually impaired, and he's clearly not out there cause he likes to be.  He, and his crew, should be put on the shelf the minute the final gun sounds during week 17.

[raptorsfan29]

And, to jtex's point, Jeff Triplette is an embarrassment to NFL officiating.  His field judge is visually impaired, and he's clearly not out there cause he likes to be.  He, and his crew, should be put on the shelf the minute the final gun sounds during week 17.

Just like the refs during the oakland/pats game a few years back
'

Which one was worse the crew on this game or the famous oak/ne game

[Brian Fein]

Just like the refs during the oakland/pats game a few years back
'

Which one was worse the crew on this game or the famous oak/ne game

I wish there was a way to look this up, but I think they were the same crew...

[Brian Fein]

I wish there was a way to look this up, but I think they were the same crew...

For the life of me, I can't find a game log anywhere on the net for the 2001 divisional playoff game between the Patriots and the Raiders.  My memory somehow tells me that Jeff Triplette was the referee.  

Jeff Triplette was also the referee who granted Peyton Manning a timeout after he never called timeout and ran for a touchdown.

[Sunstroke]

I wish there was a way to look this up, but I think they were the same crew...

Both crews sucked, but they were different crews

2002 Oak-NE Crew:

Referee-Walt Coleman,
Umpire-Undrey Wash
Head linesman-Dale Williams,
Line judge-Gary Arthur,
Field judge-Scott Edwards,
Side judge-Dean Look,
Back judge-Phil Luckett.

2006 NE-Den Crew:

Referee: Jeff Triplette
Umpire: Jeff Rice
Head Linesman: Tony Veteri
Line Judge: Jeff Seeman
Field Judge: Duke Carroll
Side Judge: Greg Meyer
Back Judge: Gregory Steed

modified to add link:  http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/boxscores/2002/01/19/patriots_raiders/

[Brian Fein]

Thanks, Stroke.

Walt Coleman's boys are retarded, too, but nowhere near as bad as Triplette's