Since this affects the whole league as well as us I figure here we can post every bad call we see, debate every fine and question every call or hit that the NFL seems to be screwing up this year. First things first: 1. I understand that the league is trying to protect quarterbacks and they are trying to protect players from concussions, I am all for protecting players from defenseless cheapshots.However it is a contact sport and sometimes guys will get hit, guys may get hurt its the nature of the sport. If a guy gets laid out the defender shouldnt be automatically penalized. Good hits are part of the game and its part of the sport, let the boys play. im sick of a quarterback leaving a guy out to dry half the time prolly knowing hell get a first down of a penalty. 2. The quarterbacks. They should be renamed the vaginas. You cant hit them anymore, dont even breath on them either. Penalty 1 I will point out. Manning fumbles, Eagles recover. Manning the baby boy and poster boy of the NFL vaginas gets tapped on the head lightly and fumbles. Penalty and automatic first down and that call easily could have decided the outcome of the game. 3. Special teams. Its probably a good idea not to even bother trying to block a punt or a kick nowadays. If you miss blocking and happen to bump into the kicker or punter they take the biggest dive not seen since Italian soccer players last played and it will be a penalty. Obviously you cant destroy the kicker after his kick, however a light bump you receive every morning on the subway commute will result in a 15 yard penalty. Why does this continue? Now the Austin Collie hit was debatable. I really hope he pulls out ok. However that was not a penalty just a freak accident. What kills me most as well is that the NFL refs always calls the split second hits on the defense when they hit the quarterback. If they hit the guy a split second after he throws its a penalty every time. As if the defenseman can pull up in that split second and freeze himself mid-play and then get thawed off for the next set of downs in order to avoid a penalty. Meanwhile everytime the quarterback gets laid out 5 seconds after they throw(seems to happen to us a lot) the ball it is never called. NFL refs are taught to watch for that split-second after the throw and after maybe a full second to maybe 2 seconds they look away and nothing will get noticed. Im sick of this soon becoming the "No contact league" and I will not watch a watered down game as its slowly heading there. 2 hand touch football is what Goodell is looking for. Face it concussions happen, contact happens, if your worried about it...dont play football.
As I've been saying this season, refs seem to be little more than obstacles for the teams to overcome, like wind and rain. I don't know what game the refs are calling, but it's certainly not the one being played on the field.
The additional problem is that there no accountability. The league and the network talking head douchebags all cover up for the refs. "refs has a tough day today," etc.
That blow to the head call late in the Philly/Indy game was laughable. But I don't blame the refs for that. The league wants them to call that soft shit, so they do.
I think that was the worst call I have ever seen. Literally, his (i think it was Trent Cole) hand grazed the top of Mannings helmet as he swiped for the ball.. as he was being blocked by a 300+ lb lineman.. ridiculous call..
That reminds me of that Gallaraga perfect game that wasn't. That asshole Joyce missed the call, admitted to missing the call then apologized and everybody was effusively praising the guy for apologizing. What the fuck? Imagine if that shit slid in other lines of work.
Last night when the Steelers blocked a kick, the guy totally destroyed the kicker even though he touched the ball first. In one of the first couple games for the Jets this season, a penalty was called when a kicker stepped on Cromartie's head because he interrupted the kicker's ability to complete the kick or something like that. Would someone care to explain this one?
If you want to feel better about the NFL refs, watch the NBA. Between the techs for showing any emotion and the new replay rules, it's almost unwatchable.
This is why you really can't blame the officials. Also explains the type of penalties like the Ellis/Stafford late hit: The Competition Committee emphasizes that whenever a game official is confronted with a potential unnecessary-roughness situation and is in doubt about calling a foul, he should lean toward safety and not hesitate to throw the flag This is from a guideline sent to players, coaches and officials before the season.
That's nice and all but the call against Ellis was absolute horse shit, even if you put those words in BOLD AND ALL CAPS.
Not according to the league, which is the only thing that matters. It's a stupid policy and another reason why the game is going in the wrong direction IMO. Instead of mandating the anti-concussion helmets and forcing the players to wear full pads/improved mouthguards, this is what we get unfortunately.