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Packers beat Lions on a Hail Mary (after a BS facemask call)

Troglodyte said:
Why? A blown call at any point in the game can impact the final outcome.
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You're right, and the CFL is right: Pass-interference calls - and non-calls - should be reviewable.

For example, the non-call when Sherman was covering Brown - when Brown "slipped" - would have been corrected. No question it had an impact on the game.

It's gotten to the point that, with the officiating is so shaky, anything to help get calls corrected needs to be done.
 
I'm wondering if Detroit could have called a timeout after the facemask ruling to "re-group" before the final play.

Caldwell obviously thought the Packers were going to try another Stanford band play, as they did on the play when the facemask was called.

Not having Ansah in the game and going after Rodgers on the last play was a big-time mistake. Rodgers was able to roll to his right and get up a good head of steam before launching the Hail Mary.

Note: It was sort of comforting - if that's the right word - to see a coach other than Tomlin make a strategic mistake.
 
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As a Viking fan the entire second half sucked. The ending was just icing on the cake.

Would have liked a couple game cushion but we still have a game left there in Green Bay.
 
The play before, IMO, was pass interference. The defender (while looking back) plowed over the WR which, if it was called, would've put GB in easy FG position. If anything, it strengthens a lot of questions as to what IS a penalty. The "facemask", was almost a make up call in that regard. Just shows you how close these games are and that the refs ARE going to have an influence on the outcome. Buckle up, more to come.
 
the replay I saw it really looks like the head turns a bit as his finger goes through the face mask. At full speed the ref has to call it.
 
I still don't understand what the hell the Lions were doing on that hail mary.

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They've got two guys defending the sidelines on an untimed down!!!!
 
MTC said:
NFL needs to hire younger refs or refs who are not bribed
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from what I heard from a friend who know someone that refs for college ... they DID hire a bunch of new refs .. that is why all the bad calls this year
 
The Packers got the call IMO, because of how hard the defender yanked Rodgers to the ground by the shoulder, it made it look as if he grabbed his facemask. In real time it looked like a facemask penalty I would have thrown the flag as well based on how quickly Rodgers was snapped down and by the reaction of the defender, he knew he had nicked the facemask. If it would have been a reviewable call you have to overturn it, that was a great big nothing.

Papillon
 
Officiating has been horrible this season, but you can't blame the official for throwing the flag there. In real time, it looks like a facemask. Even if the rules were changed, and it was possible to overturn that call using replay...I don't think the replay is conclusive enough to pick up the flag. Sorry Lions, but sometimes you've got to overcome an unfortunate penalty...you had 50 chances to put that game away before that play and 1 big chance after....
 
I have to get this straight. A runner cannot be touched on the face mask??? Because he was a runner and could no longer throw a forward pass as the penalty was a Stanford band on the field play where he was no longer eligible to throw. We use the term QB, but the protection is provided to a Passer not a QB. In this case he could no longer be seen as a passer/ QB.
 
Steel G said:
I still don't understand what the hell the Lions were doing on that hail mary.

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They've got two guys defending the sidelines on an untimed down!!!!
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Well and the launchpoint was the 39 yard line. Did they really believe it would land in the back of the endzone where they were set up?
 
At full speed WITHOUT replay, I would have called it too. Hell, even the chinstrap over his nose adds to it.
 
The competition commitees as well as the owners need to step up this coming off season and try to make the big penalties reviewable. This season has been the worst as far as wrong calls. I'm not sure how the non-calls could be handled (i.e. this past Sunday where Sherman was blatantly contacting AB after the 5 yards), but the PI calls for big gains, the 15 yarders such as the personal fouls. I hate for another thing to slow the game down but the right calls should be made.
 
This was a case of totally understandable human error. If you guys are so pissed about this and want the system to change, why am I the only person on the planet who thinks baseball should have balls and strikes called electronically? I mean, every game shows that even the best umpires are wrong at least 10% of the time, yet baseball fans seem to like "the human element."
 
SteelerSask said:
Well and the launchpoint was the 39 yard line. Did they really believe it would land in the back of the endzone where they were set up?
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The Packers had all 5 eligible receivers running verticals. The Lions only had 6 defenders back there with them --- that is a giant ****-up. You can't coach "defend a Hail Mary" any worse than that.
 
SteelerAl said:
The Packers had all 5 eligible receivers running verticals. The Lions only had 6 defenders back there with them --- that is a giant ****-up. You can't coach "defend a Hail Mary" any worse than that.
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Gotta give credit to R. Rodgers for letting the 4 WR's go deep into the endzone while he hung just short of the endzone allowing the defenders to get behind him. Hindsight as you said, it is a **** up, they should've had someone plastered on him.
 
SteelerAl said:
The Packers had all 5 eligible receivers running verticals. The Lions only had 6 defenders back there with them --- that is a giant ****-up. You can't coach "defend a Hail Mary" any worse than that.
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I disagree. Dropping back more defenders helps, but you're still leaving much of it up to dumb luck.

They should have used more guys to pressure Rodgers. They rushed three, essentially letting him throw the ball and leaving it up to chance.
 
Troglodyte said:
They should have used more guys to pressure Rodgers. They rushed three, essentially letting him throw the ball and leaving it up to chance.
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They could have split the two sideline dummies up, rush one and send the other back in coverage. Or even rush both of them. Just about anything else would have been better than what they did.
 
Troglodyte said:
I disagree. Dropping back more defenders helps, but you're still leaving much of it up to dumb luck.

They should have used more guys to pressure Rodgers. They rushed three, essentially letting him throw the ball and leaving it up to chance.
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Rushing 3 is pretty standard in Hail Mary defense. Heck, that's how Woodley sacked Kurt Warner to end SB 43. Usually even a 3-man rush can manage to disturb the QB somewhat given how long it takes for the receivers to get deep.
 
Steel G said:
I still don't understand what the hell the Lions were doing on that hail mary.

CVW161YUYAUd41t.jpg:large


They've got two guys defending the sidelines on an untimed down!!!!
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I've only seen one replay, but where did the Lions have Megatron lined up? I mean, Jim Caldwell did put one of the best ballskill players in the league on the field to help defend a Hail Mary, right?
 
SteelerAl said:
Rushing 3 is pretty standard in Hail Mary defense. Heck, that's how Woodley sacked Kurt Warner to end SB 43. Usually even a 3-man rush can manage to disturb the QB somewhat given how long it takes for the receivers to get deep.
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I know it's standard but I think it's overkill as sometimes the defenders just get in each others way in the end zone.
 
http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth/post/_/id/8759/nfl-offers-context-of-face-mask-ruling

The Rule Book describes the penalty as follows:

"Penalty: For twisting, turning or pulling the mask: loss of 15 yards. A personal foul. The player may be disqualified if the action is judged by the official(s) to be of a flagrant nature."

The Rule Book describes an approved ruling as it relates to facemask penalties (page 81).

"A.R. 12.12 - Third-and-10 on A30. Runner A1 runs to the A33, where he is tackled by B1, who incidentally grasps A1's facemask on the tackle, but it is not a twist, turn or pull. Ruling: A's ball, fourth-and-seven, on A33. No foul."

This article states that it should not have been a penalty. I disagree. From what I've seen of replay and still photos, Rodgers does turn his head. At full speed, viewed from behind, it certainly had to look like a penalty to the ref who threw the flag. Could it have been overturned on review? Possibly, but the ruling on the field was a flag so if they could review this and the umpire sees contact to the face mask AND the QB turning his neck or head, then he would have to uphold the call.

I supported the 2008 rule change that took 5 vs 15 yard judgement call out of the refs hands and i still do. This is either a penalty or a great acting job by Rodgers. Give the man an Oscar!
 
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