NFL Official Statement on final play of GB/Seattle game

[keggerz]

Link to the official release on my blog

 

 

 

NFL STATEMENT ON FINAL PLAY

 

 

 

OF GREEN BAY PACKERS-SEATTLE SEAHAWKS GAME

 

 

 

In Monday’s game between the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks, Seattle faced a 4th-and-10 from the Green Bay 24 with eight seconds remaining in the game.

 

Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson threw a pass into the end zone. Several players, including Seattle wide receiver Golden Tate and Green Bay safety M.D. Jennings, jumped into the air in an attempt to catch the ball.

 

While the ball is in the air, Tate can be seen shoving Green Bay cornerback Sam Shields to the ground. This should have been a penalty for offensive pass interference, which would have ended the game. It was not called and is not reviewable in instant replay.

 

When the players hit the ground in the end zone, the officials determined that both Tate and Jennings had possession of the ball. Under the rule for simultaneous catch, the ball belongs to Tate, the offensive player. The result of the play was a touchdown.

 

Replay Official Howard Slavin stopped the game for an instant replay review. The aspects of the play that were reviewable included if the ball hit the ground and who had possession of the ball. In the end zone, a ruling of a simultaneous catch is reviewable. That is not the case in the field of play, only in the end zone.

 

Referee Wayne Elliott determined that no indisputable visual evidence existed to overturn the call on the field, and as a result, the on-field ruling of touchdown stood. The NFL Officiating Department reviewed the video today and supports the decision not to overturn the on-field ruling following the instant replay review.

 

The result of the game is final.

 

Applicable rules to the play are as follows:...

[cre8tiff]

Let me translate:

 

'Overturning this would open a can of worms the size of Delaware. So though we know the call was blatantly wrong, we will just go with it and keep the bodies buried, thank you very much.'

[stevegrab]

I posted the link in one of the other threads along with the key points. Still don't agree with the refs or the NFL, and didn't really expect much different from them. But at least they made a quick statement and explained what went down. And admitting they missed the offensive PI call was a little surprising, even though it was totally obvious.

 

I guess this means the NFL doesn't really think anything has changed. It is going to take a massive protest by the fans. Or maybe some action from the owners before this is resolved. Has the President of the Packers contacted the NFL office yet, telling them to FIX IT!!!

[bushwacked]

Predictable reaction by the NFL...they've reacted the same way many times in the past when they've blown calls....and the horrendous officiating was a game changer 4-5 times before that play.

[Coyote]

I guess I am pretty much alone on this but I don't think it was that bad of a call. From the ref's angle and point of view that signaled the touchdown...considering it in real time and full speed, I can see why he thought it looked like a simultaneous catch. The slow motion replay gives us all the opportunity for hindsight. Now this same official from his location absolutely blew the offensive pass interference call and that should have been called, nullifying the touchdown. It is still the final straw and should be used to show we need the ref's back but it's the pi call that everyone should be upset about and focused on. The catch is controversial but still could have been called the same way by the regular ref's. What a media win for the NFL owners....you can't watch or listen to anything that isn't talking about it.

[BA Baracus]

My official statement to the NFL:

 

Mr Goodell, it would be nice if you would kindly retrieve your head from your ass, stop colluding with the greedy trcker owners, stop being a greedy trcker yourself, and pay some real officials to call the damn games. Until you do, SNICKERS you and your half-assed "product". I have better things to do on Sundays in the fall.

 

That is all.

[Jackass]

So it was reviewable. and still it wasn't overturned. that makes sense.

[MikesVikes]

hop on twitter and check this dude out.

@gregaiello

 

 

It was nasty before last night's game.

[delfamdelfam]

I guess I am pretty much alone on this but I don't think it was that bad of a call. From the ref's angle and point of view that signaled the touchdown...considering it in real time and full speed, I can see why he thought it looked like a simultaneous catch. The slow motion replay gives us all the opportunity for hindsight. Now this same official from his location absolutely blew the offensive pass interference call and that should have been called, nullifying the touchdown. It is still the final straw and should be used to show we need the ref's back but it's the pi call that everyone should be upset about and focused on. The catch is controversial but still could have been called the same way by the regular ref's. What a media win for the NFL owners....you can't watch or listen to anything that isn't talking about it.

 

the only reason he thought it was simultaneous is because both were out of position. Nether ref was even in the back of the endzone to see the play. By the time they got there there was simultaneous posession which is probably why they called it that way.

[Grits and Shins]

Did we really expect the NFL NOT to back up the call ...

[Bronco Billy]

Translation

 

We all know what you all saw, and you can all suck it. WE'RE THE NFL! Now get back to your meaningless, worthless lives and earn more money to buy tickets and merchandize.

 

[CowboysDiehard]

Here's the REAL official statement:

 

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/8422934/seattle-seahawks-vs-green-bay-packers-disputed-mnf-call-shifted-150-250m-bets

 

Vegas owns these guys.

[Jackass]

Here's the REAL official statement:

 

http://espn.go.com/n...d-150-250m-bets

 

Vegas owns these guys.

 

 

I can see that ref in a scene like at the end of Trading Places on some caribbean island sipping margaritas:

"Looking good Louis"

"Feeling good Billy Ray"

[CowboysDiehard]

LOL, YUP. Why didn't we think of this?

[keggerz]

Oh and call me crazy but the more I look at the replay the more I think the right call was made...I will try to post some images if and when I get the chance as to why I feel that way.

[Ditkaless Wonders]

NFL to me, while pissing down my leg:

 

Dear DW, it's raining!

[Replacement Referee]

Sweet vindication !!!!

[BeeR]

This really is meaningless in the end. All the NFL junkies will still pay laughable amounts of $ for tickets/merchandise/NFL network/ad nauseum. They let circus clowns and thugs and felons play for decades now, and no matter how bad it gets, nobody really cares. People can piss and moan about bad refs but in the end, nobody really cares. They'll still watch. Admit it, there are no standards and nobody cares. Dude.....it's the NFL! You'll suck up whatever sewage they throw at you, so stop whining and fork over the money. You know you will.

[chester]

One thing I will say is that overturning it today would have opened up a huge can of worms for future situations. I'm still really upset with the call, but if it can't be fixed at the time, I don't want it fixed the next day.

[westvirginia]

I guess I am pretty much alone on this but I don't think it was that bad of a call. From the ref's angle and point of view that signaled the touchdown...considering it in real time and full speed, I can see why he thought it looked like a simultaneous catch. The slow motion replay gives us all the opportunity for hindsight. Now this same official from his location absolutely blew the offensive pass interference call and that should have been called, nullifying the touchdown. It is still the final straw and should be used to show we need the ref's back but it's the pi call that everyone should be upset about and focused on. The catch is controversial but still could have been called the same way by the regular ref's. What a media win for the NFL owners....you can't watch or listen to anything that isn't talking about it.

 

 

You're not all alone. As not caring about either of these two teams this was also my thought on the situation. The offensive PI was blown but I can see the simultaneous possession there.

[Ice1]

Oh and call me crazy but the more I look at the replay the more I think the right call was made...I will try to post some images if and when I get the chance as to why I feel that way.

 

 

[Bronco Billy]

http://sphotos-b.xx....5952_n.jpg[/img]

 

 

So there you have conclusive evidence. If a WR possesses a DB who possesses the football, possession of the ball is awarded to the WR.

 

Keg. Really?

[Ditkaless Wonders]

I guess I am pretty much alone on this but I don't think it was that bad of a call. From the ref's angle and point of view that signaled the touchdown...considering it in real time and full speed, I can see why he thought it looked like a simultaneous catch. The slow motion replay gives us all the opportunity for hindsight. Now this same official from his location absolutely blew the offensive pass interference call and that should have been called, nullifying the touchdown. It is still the final straw and should be used to show we need the ref's back but it's the pi call that everyone should be upset about and focused on. The catch is controversial but still could have been called the same way by the regular ref's. What a media win for the NFL owners....you can't watch or listen to anything that isn't talking about it.

 

 

The ref who called this a touchdown was on the sideline and well up the field from the play. He was outside the pylon and a yard up the field. He was way out of position and as the play occured and as the essential players came down they spun enough that he was completely shielded from the play. He could see nothing until he ran in late, as they struggled on the ground. How late did he run in, well he got their after the other official who came along the backline from the far side of the goal post. He gets there around two seconds after the fact, looks at the scene at that time, and at that time he makes his call based on what he sees, Tates two arms inserted near the catch area, one pinned with his palm not on the ball, and the right arm, which he clearly removed and reinserted on the way down across the chest of the Packer, with his wirist bone, but not his palm or fingers, touching the ball.

 

I respectfully disagree. It was both a bad call, and a call he should have deferred. The problem is that the other official was so far away and out of position that he too only got to see the aftermath. Neither official was in position to make an informed call. They guessed, and they each guessed differently based on the picture they got well after the fact.

Edited September 26, 2012 by Ditkaless Wonders

[rajncajn]

Question for anyone who thinks it was dual possession. If the defender has the ball in both arms, clutched to his chest and shows clear possession as they both go to the ground, but the receiver has both hands on the ball as they touch the ground, do you consider that dual possession?

 

Another question. Had Jenkins not kept the ball when he went down and it hit the ground, would it still be considered a TD by Tate since he did not retain control?

[stevegrab]

Was watching some of the coverage on ESPN last night at the gym, they were talking to former official/ref Jerry Austin (the ref ESPN talks with during MNF). They were asking him to go over not so much the catch, but after that how officials saw it and how the ref handles the replay. He pointed out a serious error by the ref, when he was buzzed to go review it, he never talked with the other two officials first to ask "what did you see" to get the detail info and gauge their certainty with their own call. He also talked about how those two officials (back & side judge) should approach the play and get closer so they can rule on what happened.

 

It is clear to anybody that watched, that neither of these guys had a good view of the actio prior to the players landing on the ground. All they saw was two guys holding the ball. One apparently thought it was dual possession (signaled TD) the other did not (clock stop signal which Austin said would be the first step in ruling interception, then touchback).

 

Even upon video review it seems pretty clear that Jennings catches the ball, then Tate puts his hands on it. Tate never catches the ball, unless he has tentacles on his wrist to grab a hold of it. I think we can all live with the bad call on the field, but expected it to be overruled by replay. Then the NFL makes it worse by telling us it was the right call. Although I'm not sure they really said it was actually dual possession, or just that it couldn't be overturned.

 

Adam Schefter was also interesting, saying that all the refs (regular NFLRA guys) and retired officials he spoke with said not only wasn't it dual possession, but the offensive PI by Tate was so obvious that there should have been multiple flags thrown. Of course the NFL already said that was a missed call.

 

I'm eagerly awaiting kegz evaluation with photo/video evidence. If the current NFL rules actually justify this as dual possession, then they need to be changes.