• Please be aware we've switched the forums to their own URL. (again) You'll find the new website address to be www.steelernationforum.com Thanks
  • Please clear your private messages. Your inbox is close to being full.

My theory about the officiating last night

wig

wig

Well-known member
Forefather
Contributor
Joined
Jun 10, 2014
Messages
11,070
Reaction score
13,224
Points
113
I think as the game bagan to go out of control the officials literally became fearful of a full on riot. I think that's why they didn't call anything on Burfict et. al. when they ran up the tunnel and delayed the game and I think that's why they didn't call anything when the crowd started throwing bottles and **** at Roethlisberger as he was being carted off and I think it's why they waited so long at the end when the field was flooded with Bengals when Brown was hurt and the medical staff was trying to attend to him. The Bengals players were clearly in the way and obviously arguing with the referees over the call. Under normal circumstances the refs would pull a flag on that **** MUCH faster.

I think they were afraid but the Bengals were just entirely too ******* stupid to get out of their own way. Despite the fact that the referees desperately wanted to calm everyone the **** down. But NO! Vontaze and Pacman would have none of that!
 
I agree Wig.

These officials looked scared at times, did you notice how fast they announced the penalties.

NFL should really have added security for big rivalry games like this.
 
Meh. ...if this is the case they would not of thrown the last two flags then but they did.
 
Last edited:
If they would have ejected birth defect then what?
 
I think it had to do with the Bengals being down two scores and looking totally inept on offense. They were trying to keep it a game. Had the Bengals scored sooner, I think we might have seen some flags.

The NFL has no integrity and this is just one example.
 
Troglodyte said:
I think it had to do with the Bengals being down two scores and looking totally inept on offense. They were trying to keep it a game. Had the Bengals scored sooner, I think we might have seen some flags.

The NFL has no integrity and this is just one example.
Click to expand...

Yep, my take too... The NFL is trying to keep fans invested and TV happy... it was the driving force to the parity rules they have enacted for years. That's why every team hates the refs... they screw em all
 
I thought it was extremely frustrating to see a Bengal whine and complain to a ref after literally every play. This was more apparent when their D was out there. The NFL needs to take a page from the NBA and penalize talking back or whining to the refs. It was out of control.
 
I think they were just trying to not be the story. If they go out there throwing a ****-ton of flags on both teams (which they very easily could have done), then there's the narrative of "well, the officials weren't letting the players play"... or ..."the officials decided the game"... or whatever.

I thought Parry and company did a good job up to the 4th quarter. I thought Burfict should have been flagged when he punched DeCastro (after getting pancaked in the end zone)...and then Jeremy Hill should have been flagged for coming off the bench to confront Steelers players. Outside of those two calls...I thought it was just fine.

In the end, the Bengals completely lost all control and managed to screw themselves out of a win...
 
So the refs didn't call anything so Cincy could get back in the game? Is that why the KC and GB scores were so close?
 
I think ur right... Looked like the crowds behavior feed the thugs on the field. Refs felt it. So did the steelers and you ain't ever going to intimidate the Pittsburgh Steelers not even the devil himself!!! We overcame a lot and we seen Shazier rising up to the level of linebackers past. Shazier was off the charts man he gave them a lump on their thug head and how about the our new pro bowl guard pulling a faneca and pancaking burfeuk. Even the coaches got in on it! Awesome! Steelers still fuking rule the north!!!
 
The refs tried to keep control of the game by throwing flags early and often. They never want to be seen as deciding a playoff game so they might have been giving the benefit of the doubt later in the game, but the Bengals gave them no choice at the end.

Let's face it: the NFL rulebook makes everything that happens on the field a penalty. Just like a pilot following every rule and procedure in the book would have a plane full of people sitting on the ground for 3 hours, the officials use discretion to avoid 6-hour games with 62 penalties. That's why bitching that Joey Porter shouldn't have been on field is a joke...it happens every Sunday, it is a rule that is not enforced (which is why no former NFL official has said it was a mistake to not flag Joey, just a bunch of bloggers). Same thing about Shazier "leading with the crown of his helmet"...I've never seen that called except when a players dives and spears a player who is already on the ground.
 
I've been a football referee for many years. What I can say is that if you expect a big grudge match in any sport I'm sure, it takes you out of your usual way of acting. You tighten up and move between calling it too tight and too loose so as not to over officiate the game. Clearly that is what happened there. They tried to get real tight about some things early on, then Touisant got shoved out of bounds into the bench and they ended up flagging Munch. You could tell they were totally out of it at the end. The call should have been unsportsmanlike conduct on Jones with an ejection (as there is no way the rules allow for contact on an official without ejection. I agree that things were getting out of control and they must have been somewhat intimidated by the fans and the Bengals players. It was a tough deal for them too. It ain't easy.
 
As fans haven't we been saying that the defense needs a little nasty streak in them similar to Lambert, Gildon, Lloyd, Porter, Harrison, well, no one individually is that guy yet, but the defense had a little bit of nasty in them on Saturday and it looked and felt good. The young guys were making plays everywhere and weren't intimidated in the least, Heyward, Tuitt, Shazier, Jones, and Dupree it was a welcome sight IMO.

Papillon
 
but the Bengals gave them no choice at the end.
Click to expand...

This. The Bengals and their fans pushed it too far.
 
The other thing I would say about the Shazier hit is that - if you watch it in real time - you would never say "that's a penalty". It simply looks like a guy squaring up a runner and tackling him. Shazier did lower his head - which is dangerous to both himself and the runner - but it's a clear football play and nothing that would make anyone say "that's unnecessary roughness" except for those looking a super slo-mo replays.
 
Unless the NFL is crazy, their insurers would have them with written "what if" policies for the officials for situations just like this. Given the playoff game with GB/SEA last season, it is somewhat reasonable for officials, especially in the playoffs, to have some type of plan/policy for maintaining crowd control in some way.

I'm not suggesting it was a job well done, but it may well have been the case that the goofiness near the end of the game was about the refs trying to figure out how to handle the seemingly hostile crowd while the bungles were losing their ****.....
 
Many have said it. Back in the steelers & Ravens bloodbaths it never came to this level. Why? Respect. Both teams hated each other, wanted to smash and hurt one another, but all within the scope of the game. All the while, the hatred was still there at the end, I think there was a respect for going into battle.

The bengals, ...well some. Seem not to have that respect. Out of control madness. Or,...70s football which however you think good or bad is no longer in this RG era of NFL. Steven A Smith went off on the bengals during first take. Calling for Marvin head. Made a great point too. Fire Marvin and hire their OC. So many teams are going after him and seems to be a solid coach. But bungals being the bungals.


The fans **** wasn't all that bad. Living out here in PHilly you hear all kind of stories from their old stadium. Tossing snow/ice balls, batteries ...etc.
 
With the Bungles it comes down to ownership. **** rolls downhill. They're too cheap to fire Marvin, because they'd have to pay out his contract AND sign somebody else's. And on top of that they get players like Jones and Burfict because they're rejects from other teams and the Bengals can get quality athletic talent for cheap because of their character issues. No other team will F'n SIGN those guys so the Bengals have an advantage in contract negotiations regardless of how well they play. They don't HAVE to give them top tier money because it's not like Jones or Burfict are going to run out onto the market and land a huge FA deal. Nobody would F'n TOUCH them.

Nobody but the Bengals. I read years ago that they actually made players bring their own towels. I assume it wasn't true, but one has to wonder. One has to wonder.
 
Confluence said:
Unless the NFL is crazy, their insurers would have them with written "what if" policies for the officials for situations just like this. Given the playoff game with GB/SEA last season, it is somewhat reasonable for officials, especially in the playoffs, to have some type of plan/policy for maintaining crowd control in some way.

I'm not suggesting it was a job well done, but it may well have been the case that the goofiness near the end of the game was about the refs trying to figure out how to handle the seemingly hostile crowd while the bungles were losing their ****.....
Click to expand...

I think any policy that intentionally alters the outcome of the game would be illegal and the only policy they could legally have is to end the game pre-maturely.

I think it's just a natural reaction of officials to give the benefit of the doubt or only call flagrant or obvious fouls of a team that is being dominated (even if the score is only 9-0), especially when it's the home team. That's OK for little league, professionals should be above that.
 
wig said:
With the Bungles it comes down to ownership. **** rolls downhill. They're too cheap to fire Marvin, because they'd have to pay out his contract AND sign somebody else's. And on top of that they get players like Jones and Burfict because they're rejects from other teams and the Bengals can get quality athletic talent for cheap because of their character issues. No other team will F'n SIGN those guys so the Bengals have an advantage in contract negotiations regardless of how well they play. They don't HAVE to give them top tier money because it's not like Jones or Burfict are going to run out onto the market and land a huge FA deal. Nobody would F'n TOUCH them.

Nobody but the Bengals. I read years ago that they actually made players bring their own towels. I assume it wasn't true, but one has to wonder. One has to wonder.
Click to expand...

This is the thing about the Bengals. Mike Brown is the worst owner in the NFL, has been for decades and Marvin Lewis has made everybody forget that. Without Lewis, the Bengals would still be a 4-win team on average. If you look at the Bengals' front office staff, it pales in comparison to other teams. The Steelers have 19 Player/Personnel staff...8 scouts, The Ravens have 25/8, the Broncos 20/9, the Giants 17/10, the Packers 20/12...

The Bengals have 5...total... 4 scouts. TOTAL...

The Bengals don't even have a dedicated player engagement person, they don't have a Human Resources person...nothing.

THAT is what Marvin Lewis is dealing with...a bare bones operation with no scouting, no help and a cheap-*** owner.
 
I would say the refs in this game have been called on the carpet. To many question on why called or not called for both teams.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top