What cost Seattle this game?

[mcduff81]

Kelly Hearndon intercepts a ball and has a clear path to the endzone. He runs 76 yards and gets caught by an offensive lineman. A defensive back got caught by an offensive lineman. Come on, that should've been a TD. The refs had NOTHING to do with him not scoring.

They scored on that drive anyway.

The biggest play by far was the 'phantom' holding call on the pass to Stevens at the 2. Not only does it erase a sure TD, but a play or 2 later, Hasselbeck throws an int. Ballgame.

Sidenote: Can someone please explain to me the Hasselbeck call? I don't know how you make a tackle and get called for chop blocking..

[VidKid]

They called it cuz he also took out a potential blocker below the knees to get to the ball carrier.

As for the delay of game 'no-call', we only see the stadium play clock, the official clock is on the ref, so there will always be tenths of a second difference. We see '0', when, like the NBA, it could really be '0.16' on the ref's stopwatch.

Let's also not forget the Vinny touchdown run that clearly wasn't. It's human error, but you can't blame the refs for the 75yd run. Can't blame the refs on being tackled by an o-lineman on the INT, or the fact that TE Stevens couldn't catch all night.

[JVides]

The offensive pass interference in the end zone on D-Jax was BS

I think it was offensive pass interference.  The receiver clearly pushed off.  The problem is, that NEVER, EVER gets called.  Why call it last night if it's never called? 

It's like when NBA refs started calling moving screens on Yao Ming in last year's playoffs.  Uh, hello!  Rasheed Wallace's middle name IS "Moving Screen", and you never call it on him, or anyone else not Chinese and 7'6"!

[YoFuggedaboutit]

I can think of 4 pretty big questionable calls that went Pitt's way:

1) The pushoff in the endzone.  ...while it might've been the right call in some scenrios, it didn't seem like it affected the play at all or freed the receiver to get sepereration to make the catch.

2) Roethlisberger's TD run.  ...it looked to me that it was pretty clear that he didn't make it in.  I suppose that their only argument could've been inconclousive, but even that would be pretty weak.

3) A holding call against a Seahawk blocker, that negated a long pass downfield to the 1 yard line.  ...this wasn't holding.  I don't know what to say much more than that.  Madden even commented on the replay.

4) The fumble by Hasselbeck, where he's clearly grabbed on his way down.  This play was overturned, but it was still a pretty big missed call.

5) *this didn't really affect the game, but they called Hasslebeck for a "block below the waist" where he was tackling the ballcarrier after an interception.  ...it cost them 15 yards.


...and any 1 of these if forgivable.  Mistakes happen, but usually on both sides -- this time, it just seemed that Pitt got every stinkin' call.  Sour grapes, I suppose.

I agree that the officiating was a little one-sided.  All of those calls were cheap and took Seattle out of their rhythm.  Take them away and you've got a totally different ballgame.  It didn't help that the majority of the crowd was pro-Pittsburgh as well.

[Phishfan]

As for the delay of game 'no-call', we only see the stadium play clock, the official clock is on the ref, so there will always be tenths of a second difference. We see '0', when, like the NBA, it could really be '0.16' on the ref's stopwatch.

The stadium clock is official in the NFL. The crew only keeps time in case of a malfunction.

[SCFinFan]

As a referee myself (not in the NFL, of course) I thought the calls last night were terrible. Even at my level, with no instant-replay common sense can overrule a bad call. Common sense should've been used when Ben sneaked the football past the line after he was clearlydown. I got so fed up with it and, frankly, so bored with it that I ended up watching Star Trek instead.

Hey, before there's any trekkie comments on this board about me, let me tell you, there was some sort of alien-sex related storyline going on. It was pretty engrossing. And there were hot, neon-green women running around.

[Brian Fein]

As a referee myself (not in the NFL, of course) I thought the calls last night were terrible. Even at my level, with no instant-replay common sense can overrule a bad call. Common sense should've been used when Ben sneaked the football past the line after he was clearlydown. I got so fed up with it and, frankly, so bored with it that I ended up watching Star Trek instead.

Hey, before there's any trekkie comments on this board about me, let me tell you, there was some sort of alien-sex related storyline going on. It was pretty engrossing. And there were hot, neon-green women running around.

What do you ref?  jtex and I were notorious ref-nazi's years ago for Flag Football.  It really is an eye-opening experience.

The thing about that TD was that you see the line judge on the far side come running in with the spot, then changes his call to TD.  Granted, even if he was short, they'd just give it to Bettis on the next play and he'd more than likely pound it in...  But as a ref, you never change your call....  I feel that the back judge was convinced by the DB to throw the pass interference flag in the end zone in the first quarter too, as he signaled TD, then threw his flag.

[SCFinFan]

I ref basketball with kids from age 9 to high school. Sometimes it's very quick and intense, sometimes it's slow and sloppy. I know what you mean about never changing your call. Sometimes the only thing that differentiates a good call from a bad one is the confidence with which the referee signals it.

I agree with your opinion on the back judge changing his opinion. The DB changed the referee's mind. When you see something, and you're unsure, people definitely try to get in your head. That's why you gotta take your time. Still though, I thought the reffing was damn atrocious. Even if it was Offensive Pass interference, as someone said above, they never call it anyway. Why now? Because some DB bitches at you?! Please.

It is a hard job to be a ref, but I expect more out of people who are in the top league in the world and who, by judgment of their in-season merits, have been deemed worthy to judge the Pinnacle of Competition in the sport.

[Philly Fin Fan]

Did everybody here watch the same game as me? The ball broke the plane! All that has to cross the plane is a fraction of the ball, and the tip of the ball broke the plane BEFORE Ben went down (and then moved it across the goal line). Remember, the plane is where the white line starts. The entire ball does not have to cross the line. The replay showed it breaking the plane. The ref even looked at it on instant replay. It would've been easy for him to say "After further review, the ball did not break the plane", but the fact of the matter is, the ball broke the plane.

I think everyone is so pissed off because they expected Seattle to destroy Pittsburgh, and felt Seattle was scoffed by everyone by being an underdog.

Missing two field goals (on key drives), letting Wille Parker rip off a 75 yard run, and letting Randel El throw a bomb to Hines Ward show that Seattle was not the  better team.

[Brian Fein]

I didn't see the ball breaking the plane.  I saw his arm break the plane, yes, followed by him getting pummelled and fumbling the ball.  In addition, the ref said "the ruling on the field stands" meaning that either he agrees with the call, or there's no evidence to overturn it.  Regardless, they would have scored on the next play, so it doesn't matter. 

Two missed FG's - no one's pointing at Josh Brown cause they lost by more than 6.  But, give those 6 points back to them and they're down 5 inside 2 minutes and its a whole different ball game.

Seattle beat themselves, no doubt, but it did seem that every questionable call went Pitt's way.  Even the objective viewer can admit that.

[Dave Gray]

I didn't see the ball breaking the plane. I saw his arm break the plane, yes, followed by him getting pummelled and fumbling the ball. In addition, the ref said "the ruling on the field stands" meaning that either he agrees with the call, or there's no evidence to overturn it. Regardless, they would have scored on the next play, so it doesn't matter.

Not totally true.

1) MAYBE they score.  They could get stuffed, but Bettis still has to get a clean snap, receive the ball, and the line has to hold.
2) Even if they do score, that play still cost Holmgren a timeout and a challenge (that was greatly needed at the end of the first half).
3) Plus, it screws with momentum and confidence.

I thought the officiating sucked and screwed the Hawks.  They didn't capitalize on all of their opportunities, and they botched some coaching decisions, but I still think that they should have had a lead going in to the game late.

The fans were really the ones who got screwed.

[Spider-Dan]

If you are referring to the Big Ben running TD, there was no challenge... that was a booth-initiated review at the end of the 1st half.

And there is no reason to think that Bettis would have scored; he had already been stuffed on 1st and 2nd down, and down 3-0, if Ben would have been stopped, Cowher would certainly have kicked the FG.

[run_to_win]

As a neutral fan watching this game I think the officials should have added a yellow stripe to their black and white shirts.

If only the elites here would lower themselves to checking out PFT then dummies like me wouldn't have to and find this stuff for you!

 

[Dave Gray]

If you are referring to the Big Ben running TD, there was no challenge... that was a booth-initiated review at the end of the 1st half

I stand corrected.

[run_to_win]

They called it cuz he also took out a potential blocker below the knees to get to the ball carrier.

Good call... IF HE CONTACTED THE BLOCKER!  He didn't.

As for the delay of game 'no-call', we only see the stadium play clock, the official clock is on the ref, so there will always be tenths of a second difference. We see '0', when, like the NBA, it could really be '0.16' on the ref's stopwatch.

I'm fairly sure that the play clock is official in the NFL.  

the fact that TE Stevens couldn't catch all night.

It's Karma.  A Washington Husky was inducted to the HOF so another Husky had to screw up in a big game to keep the world in balance.  WSU Cougars fans here in Huskyville sure appreciate seeing Mark Rypien walking out with the MVPs.   We keep asking our Husky neighbors why the Husky Super Bowl MVPs don't show up but they can't explain it - something about Ray Horton getting cheated in Super Bowl XXVII.