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Around SBN: Jim Irsay: We Can Make It Work With Peyton Manning

Garbage officiating

OK, everyone gets a bad call once in a while. OK, the colts have made some dumb penalties and mistakes. OK, officials are human. With all that in mind, I want to set aside every single awful call from last night (illegal contact of Jackson? why, cause he stripped the receiver?) and focus in on what was truly an unforgivable error: the missed fumble.

It was the first quarter and the Colts were stoning the Titans. Keyunta Dawson hits Chris Johnson and the ball comes squirting out. Johnson was nowhere NEAR the turf, the Colts come up with the ball, the turnover flag is dropped and...nothing happens. No fumble is called, no recovery by the Colts, the Titans get the ball exactly where the COLTS came up with it not thirty seconds before. The replay shows a clear fumble, a challenge would be won without question, but...well, I guess that didn't happen. The refs just didn't SEE what they are paid to watch for above all else, even though tens of millions DID see it. Into the memory hole it goes, Titans come out with a field goal.

I understand that referees are human, but this is past the line of reasonable doubt. None of those official should ever work anything but high school games again.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Stampede Blue's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Stampede Blue's writers or editors.

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The call was wrong

but there’s a reason coaches challenges exist. Dungy needs to throw the flag there.

Shonn Greene for Heisman
144 yards per game
6.5 yards per carry
08 TDs per game > 06 GPA

by shake n bake on Oct 28, 2008 11:44 AM EDT reply actions  

DUDE QUIT CRYING!!!!

It is not the Refs fault. They determined that the man was down. If they wanted to do something about it then they should have challenged the call. That is why Jeff Fisher had his team line up quickly and snap the ball.

by JagsCub on Oct 28, 2008 11:45 AM EDT reply actions  

Check that...

It was the refs fault, but it was such a bang, bang play that they ruled him down.

by JagsCub on Oct 28, 2008 11:48 AM EDT up reply actions  

but they huddled

   The problem here I see is the refs huddled up… talked, then spotted the ball with NO explanation.. They never said he was down… So dungy may not have even realized it was a play that could be challenged, since nothing was said. That is what was inexcusable. The refs need to explain what they thing happened so the coaches know what the situation is and have the opportunity to challenge.

Missing the call is one thing… Totally screwing up by not making a ruling and just spotting the ball is NOT.

An expert is someone who knows more and more about less and less until they know everything about nothing...

by bluegirl on Oct 28, 2008 11:53 AM EDT up reply actions  

they never even made a call about who came up with the ball

they just put the ball down and the titans snapped it. Kudos to them for pulling a fast one.

by MarkFive05 on Oct 28, 2008 12:18 PM EDT up reply actions  

Actually...

they did make a ruling. That’s why they spotted the ball. It is up to the coaches upstairs to make the call. They didn’t, and Tony didn’t throw the flag. End of story!

by JagsCub on Oct 28, 2008 7:39 PM EDT up reply actions  

when exactly

 did they make this ruling? Mike Carey never made any ruling on the field… they simply spotted the ball with no comment after huddling up.. THAT is what was the problem.. No one knew what they had decided.. How are you supposed to challenge if you don’t know why the ball is where it is?And what are the fans supposed to think. Given the long spiel some refs give this was really unusual…

An expert is someone who knows more and more about less and less until they know everything about nothing...

by bluegirl on Oct 29, 2008 12:37 PM EDT up reply actions  

True.

I think that I would have thrown that flag as soon as I saw the Titans’ offense line up, tho. They knew they fumbled and did a “hurry up” to the line.

"I throw, you catch. It's NOT that hard!"
Peyton Manning, SNL, 2007

by peytonsthebest on Oct 29, 2008 12:45 PM EDT up reply actions  

I'm with Shake

THAT IS WHAT THAT LITTLE RED FLAG IS FOR, Coach Dungy.

"I throw, you catch. It's NOT that hard!"
Peyton Manning, SNL, 2007

by peytonsthebest on Oct 28, 2008 12:47 PM EDT reply actions  

REFS ARE A JOKE

First, the fumble, are you kidding me? No comm between coaches in sideline and upstairs?? No challenge?? Officials not stating what was the damn call??

Second, the Jackson, illegal contact call. That looked like he was clearly stripping the receiver after he had contact with the ball.

Third, the Bullit, pass interference. If you didn’t see the play, we are talking maximum coverage by Bullit. I mean the guy was on top of the receiver. He did has some whisp of contact but milliseconds before the ball hit his back, because of the great coverage he had on the receiver. Then is called a foul.

Also, I think it was Lendale, he ran to the inzone and was tackled about 2 yards short, with his knees and elbows hitting the ground outside the inzone. But what?? TOUCHDOWN.

Then Dominic is pushing, in our last drive. Exact same play as Lendale’s, in terms of how he goes down, the ball breaks the plane of the inzone, but what?? NO TOUCHDOWN.

Also I’ve heard someone say that the NFL, didn’t wanted the game broadcasters to be pointing out about bad officiating and comentating, and replaying the bad calls time after time. What do you think about that??

Wasn’t that obvious when all three of these mentioned here occured. The comentators just kept quiet and didn’t say much. Now all those bad calls and “quick get aways” are going to covered by “the long arm of the NFL”.

We still had our chances to win, we didn’t loose because of the refs, but all of these calls would have changed posetion and/or put them into 4th down situations. And that has an impact on a game.

No matter where you play.

by CaribbeanColt on Oct 28, 2008 1:22 PM EDT reply actions  

Illegal Contact

I did not see the illegal contact b/c they did not show it on the replay. Illegal contact , which makes contact after 5 yards illegal, is not the same as pass interference. They did not think that Jackson made contact too soon before the ball got there. Rather, they must have called it for contact after 5 yards prior to the ball being thrown. Again, I didnt see it happen, but they did not show that part of the play on the replay.

Also Lendale’s TD? Really? The ball clearly crossed the line. Who care’s about where his knee and elbow ended up as long as the ball crossed the goaline first?

by DonFrancisco on Oct 28, 2008 2:03 PM EDT reply actions  

TIVO anyone?

Did anyone go back and look for the illegal contact?

by DonFrancisco on Oct 28, 2008 2:05 PM EDT up reply actions  

Punk

I just realized I kinda sounded like a punk, and I didnt mean to. I really do want to know what happened on that play!

by DonFrancisco on Oct 28, 2008 4:08 PM EDT up reply actions  

Why even waste your dumb ass ideas on this blog? The Colts suck. Titans have beaten you losers 3 out of the last 4.

by titanjoe on Oct 29, 2008 4:56 AM EDT reply actions  

Challenges suck

I find the rules around challenging horrible. I realize that obviously you can’t have unlimited challenges, but to think that 2 challenges are enough, with the rate of questionable calls, happening this year alone. I think in like a situation in the Colts Titans game, something that obvious in replays, should of been called down from the booth. There should be more of an effort to get every call right, and not just the one’s that are the 2 most important to your team a game. It would of been so easy as well, we seen the replay how many times before the Titans ran up and snapped the ball. The booth was watching exactly what we were, how hard, press a button, over rule the call on the field, at the very least make them review it. Get the call right period. I’m sure it wouldn’t have changed the outcome, but it would show the refs on the field and in the booth, doing there job, every play, to the best possible level they can.

by Scooty4422 on Oct 29, 2008 3:30 PM EDT reply actions  

Good point.

I only remember seeing the replay once. But I was yelling because I thought it would be ruled a fumble/Colts recovery…you can imagine my surprise. ugh.

That would have given us great field position.

Ok, I gotta let it go. I’m not even excited for the Pats game Sunday Night.

"I throw, you catch. It's NOT that hard!"
Peyton Manning, SNL, 2007

by peytonsthebest on Oct 29, 2008 3:39 PM EDT up reply actions  

The sad reality is officiating league wide this season has sucked and many times teams have got the shaft. That blown fumble call was garbage especially since an official was looking right at it but what can you do. Until they somehow make officials truly accountable for blown calls this crap will continue. And by blown calls I mean obvious calls like that fumble seeing as the ball was coming out before he was even close to being down. I am fine if officials get the wrong calls on close plays and all that but when you blow an easy call then you should be held accountable.

by loregnum on Oct 29, 2008 3:47 PM EDT reply actions  

unionized officials

  Part of the problem is the referees are unionized so it is VERY hard to introduce new measures like this since it would be a contract issue and I can’t imagine any union allowing the its members to have to actually be scrutinized like that..

An expert is someone who knows more and more about less and less until they know everything about nothing...

by bluegirl on Oct 29, 2008 6:02 PM EDT up reply actions  

They would, however, be cool with being considered full-time employees. They actually tried for that several years ago, anybody remember the refs’ strike at the beginning of the 2001 season?

That’s what it was about, but they caved after like 2 weeks and getting a huge raise instead.

by hartley on Oct 30, 2008 3:59 PM EDT up reply actions  

Refs aren't a big problem

The refs blow some calls. But I haven’t seen one game since 1959 where a call was the primary reason our Colts lost a game. Sure they’ve been contributors but it’s a 60 minute game and a lot happens. Without the butter fingers, spotty line play, hesitancy to throw the red flag, and a half dozen other things, maybe the Colts win. But these things all did happen and the Titans played good enough to win. It was all in our control to beat Tennessee but we did not out play the Titans. The refs aren’t the primary reason we lost. Over the length of a season, bad calls even out anyway. So give the refs a break… its a fast game and there are bodies flying all over the place. If you want to see really bad officiating, watch umpires call balls and strikes.

by coltfan59 on Oct 29, 2008 7:53 PM EDT reply actions  

Agreed!

You’re spot on, coltfan59. As for the other so-called “bad calls”:

1. The illegal contact by Marlin had to have occurred earlier in the play—i.e. when the receiver made his break. Because ESPN sucks in pretty much all aspects of presenting MNF, we didn’t get to see a replay that showed that part of the play. What we did see—Marlin stripping the receiver—wasn’t the penalty.

2. Bullitt’s pass interference call was a good call. Bullitt made no play on the ball. Since the receiver was making a play, and Bullit was impeding the receiver’s chance to make a play without Bullitt actually making a play himself, it’s textbook pass interference. I’m too lazy to post a link to the NFL rules site, but it spells it out pretty clearly. All Bullitt had to do was simply look for the ball and it would have been a legal play.

3. The fumble was a bad call. However, Dungy had time to challenge it. We even got to see a replay before the Titans ran the next play, so there was time. Dungy should have thrown the flag in any case. As it went, this call didn’t cost the Colts anything—in fact, if Session could catch, it may have ended up benefiting them.

4. Lendale White scored. The ball broke the plane of the end zone before his knee or elbow touched.

5. Dominic may have scored, but did that call really matter? The Colts scored anyway.

6. There is absolutely no “conspiracy” to hide bad officiating, and there is no way the NFL is mandating TV broadcasters not talk about bad calls. First of all, all of the TV networks that air NFL games pay huge sums of money for the broadcast rights. As a result, the networks dictate their own broadcast content. If anything, the NFL is more influenced by the TV networks than the other way around.

The ESPN announcers (Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, and Tony Kornheiser) didn’t mention these calls because 1) they weren’t really bad calls (save for the fumble) and 2) they are dreadful broadcasters. Tirico is a sad excuse of a play-by-play guy; Jaworski sees nothing other than quarterback play and the 2 things he noticed on film preparing for the game; and Kornheiser knows little about football. The broadcasts are a joke.

7. I agree with Scooty4422’s sentiment about challenge rules. The main concern the league had when it instituted replay was not slowing down the game, so that’s why the challenges are limited. What I don’t like about the rule is the idea that you only have until the next snap to challenge, no matter what happens between the end of the play and that snap. On normal plays within a drive, this would give you roughly 30-35 seconds to make a decision to challenge (of course, smart offenses can change this by snapping the ball quickly to avoid a challenge by the other team). But if there’s an injury, or any timeout, after the play in question, that gives an advantage to the challenging team. What I’d like to see is a set amount of time after a play in which a challenge can be issued, say :40 seconds or so. This would end teams “hurrying up” to avoid challenges, limit the use of in-stadium replay to help home teams determine challenges (which would automatically benefit the Colts, since the goons who run the replays at Lucas don’t seem to know what to show), and make the process more consistent.

Okay, I’m off topic, and I’m rambling. I think what I’m trying to say is I hope the Colts beat the Pats 79-6.
 

by Lom Henn on Oct 30, 2008 1:13 AM EDT up reply actions  

All points good except #7.

How do you regulate when a team can go no huddle. If that was the case then all teams would lose out on the opportunity to suprise their opponents by keeping them off guard. It is consistent as it is. Consistently bad.

Replay is great, but at what point does it get ridiculous. I think we are on the precipice as we speak. Just think if we didn’t have replay. Would be happy with the results? Probably not. Can it be improved? Not by much. It is what it is, and there’s nothing we as fans can do about it.

by JagsCub on Oct 30, 2008 1:30 PM EDT up reply actions  

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