R-E-L-A-X. (Packers vs Lions)

[retro74]

Lions only had themselves to blame despite the bogus call. When they went 17-0 they starting playing completely negative, nervous football. They were more concerned with the clock than continuing with what got them in the good position in the first place. When they did try to pass they were negative throws to receivers bootlaces most of the time to avoid being picked

The Packers only reliable receiving option all day was the other Rodgers and they decided to leave him open on the hail mary

And what about the defense all turning their backs on Rodgers for the walk in touchdown? May as well have put a welcome mat down

For me they got exactly what their mindset deserved

 

[HawkGA]

On the hail mary play itself, isn't there a pretty good block in the back while Rodgers is scrambling? Maybe the rule doesn't apply with offensive linemen the way it does in other cases. Anybody know? It's a big deal though as it pretty much saves him from getting sacked.

 

[athanas]

[vine]iWPhOLt5FH3[/vine]

And if this jamoke didn't stuff himself with brats and liquid cheese, he wouldn't still be waking up in a cold sweat from the meshed nightmare of Golden Tate catching the NFC Championship game winning TD.

 

[Uncle Si]

And if this jamoke didn't stuff himself with brats and liquid cheese, he wouldn't still be waking up in a cold sweat from the meshed nightmare of Golden Tate catching the NFC Championship game winning TD.

You mean Steve Largent I think... or was it Brian Blades?

 

[DTexHawk]

Seem the ref that threw the flag saw it from behind the play. I'm sure it looked like a face mask penalty too him.
Guess you really can't fault him.

Agree, and it looked like a penalty in real time as well.

HD and slo-mo has changed what is now seen.

 

[HawkGA]

So we're back to the Super Bowl XL* excuse of "had all the elements" doesn't matter if it didn't really happen? Should a ref behind the play really be throwing a flag in that instance?

 

[253hawk]

How about Rodgers ripping off his helmet in celebration on that last play?

Cleveland lost a game when refs penalized Dwayne Rudd for that years ago.

Except when Rudd did it, the ball was still live. Rodgers did it after the play, which even if penalized, would have only been enforced on the following PAT.

I don't blame the refs at all. It was either the umpire or ref who was standing behind Rodgers that threw the flag almost immediately, and from their POV it most certainly would have looked like a face mask. The problem is that it's not a reviewable penalty, and there is a provision within the rules that allows you to touch or very briefly grab a face mask so long as you don't twist or pull it. The Lions got a bad break, but still should have won except for the atrocious defensive play call and effort on the hail mary.

 

[HawkGA]

I think have the defenders on the side was certainly interesting, but ultimately it was the play of the defensive backs in the end zone that sucked. I've never seen a Hail Mary where the defenders were not all clumped around where the ball was coming. But in this case, they seemed to stand around and then decide to move after the Packers were all in position. That meant they were all walled off behind the Packers. Horrible.

 

[Cyrus12]

2 Wins this year robbed from the Lions by the officials...was sure hoping GB would lose this one. Dont think they look at all dangeruss going fwd..think this play going fwd will called fail mary because it should not have happened....

 

[Popeyejones]

Even slowed down, zoomed in, and at the perfect angle (as the .gif is above) I had to watch that a few times to definitively conclude that although the hand grazed across the facemask and moved Rodgers' head there wasn't any grab until the hand got down to the jersey.

Basically, with all those benefits I think it's the wrong call, but it's a stretch to call it a "bad call." I think if you're standing a bit away and officiating that on the field in real time almost everyone is going to mistakenly call that a face mask.

Repeatedly watching a slow-mo zoomed in replay and seeing a mistake is just WAY TOO HIGH of a standard to hold officials to. If that's the standard, it's impossible for anyone to ever be satisfied with officiating.

It's definitely the wrong call, but IMO it's really hard to argue that it's a cut-and-dry bad one, or goes in the category of those (e.g. the refs just get the rulebook wrong, or miss something that's blatantly obvious).

 

[Uncle Si]

Even slowed down, zoomed in, and at the perfect angle (as the .gif is above) I had to watch that a few times to definitively conclude that although the hand grazed across the facemask and moved Rodgers' head there wasn't any grab until the hand got down to the jersey.

Basically, with all those benefits I think it's the wrong call, but it's a stretch to call it a "bad call." I think if you're standing a bit away and officiating that on the field in real time almost everyone is going to mistakenly call that a face mask.

Repeatedly watching a slow-mo zoomed in replay and seeing a mistake is just WAY TOO HIGH of a standard to hold officials to. If that's the standard, it's impossible for anyone to ever be satisfied with officiating.

It's definitely the wrong call, but IMO it's really hard to argue that it's a cut-and-dry bad one, or goes in the category of those (e.g. the refs just get the rulebook wrong, or miss something that's blatantly obvious).

agreed...

I don't disagree with the sentiment that it should be reviewed in the future, however...

 

[WilsonMVP]

How about Rodgers ripping off his helmet in celebration on that last play?

Cleveland lost a game when refs penalized Dwayne Rudd for that years ago.

Except when Rudd did it, the ball was still live. Rodgers did it after the play, which even if penalized, would have only been enforced on the following PAT.

I don't blame the refs at all. It was either the umpire or ref who was standing behind Rodgers that threw the flag almost immediately, and from their POV it most certainly would have looked like a face mask. The problem is that it's not a reviewable penalty, and there is a provision within the rules that allows you to touch or very briefly grab a face mask so long as you don't twist or pull it. The Lions got a bad break, but still should have won except for the atrocious defensive play call and effort on the hail mary.

The problem is actually that he didnt see crap so why did he throw the flag..oh it "looked" like a facemask even though he couldnt see shit. The ref that had the view of the facemask didnt throw the flag at all...why is that?


You cannot call a flag on that..you just cant. Game was over, Rodgers clearly wasnt going to run 70 yards if the defender didnt "facemask" just straight up stealing a game from the lions

 

[drdiags]

The play where they called the facemask was during a mad scramble to keep the ball alive and the field being extended. I am sure the refs were scrambling to stay in position all over the filed since there no longer was a LOS to track lineman or to look for holding in the backfield.

When I saw the play it looked like a no brainer facemask. There was no reason for the refs to confer since there probably wasn't more than just the one guy in the area during the confusion. Maybe someone has a shot of the All-22 to show the refs positioning on that call.

It would have been fun to rib my Packers co-worker but other than that the Lions bungled this game away. Instant Replay should be abolished and just live with the mistakes, knowing there is no way to correct them. I think the technology has neutered the refs. They always will be scape-goats and villains in sports.

This game probably stops the Packers free-fall, they were not looking good for quite awhile. Not sure they win the NFC but they have hope. Lions are kicking themselves today.

 

[Uncle Si]

This game probably stops the Packers free-fall, they were not looking good for quite awhile. Not sure they win the NFC but they have hope. Lions are kicking themselves today.

I will ask this.. is anyone afraid of the Packers at the moment? They just don't look good anymore.

 

[Popeyejones]

agreed...

I don't disagree with the sentiment that it should be reviewed in the future, however...

Ah, yeah, good point. Agreed to that in the future stuff like this should be reviewable. Unlike something like pass interference, a facemask call, helmet to helmet, etc. are cut-and-dry (like stepping out of bounds or crossing the goal line) and should definitely be reviewable.

 

[Popeyejones]

I will ask this.. is anyone afraid of the Packers at the moment? They just don't look good anymore.

Not to put too fine a point on it (and seriously not trying to be a jerk), but I think people are still afraid of the Packers for the same reason that they've still been afraid of the Seahawks for most of this year: They're still a good team that for whatever reason hasn't looked that great while losing to teams they should be beating and eking out wins against teams they should be pummeling.

 

[TwilightError]

How great would it have been had Golden Tate been on the field for the Lions on that final play and intercepted the pass at the endzone?

 

[twisted_steel2]

I love that the Pack finally get their "Fail Mary" on another team.... and it has an officiating controversy.

Now they get to live with that. So fitting.

 

[Uncle Si]

I will ask this.. is anyone afraid of the Packers at the moment? They just don't look good anymore.

Not to put too fine a point on it (and seriously not trying to be a jerk), but I think people are still afraid of the Packers for the same reason that they've still been afraid of the Seahawks for most of this year: They're still a good team that for whatever reason hasn't looked that great while losing to teams they should be beating and eking out wins against teams they should be pummeling.

Valid point...

I honestly don't think many are afraid of the Seahawks though... While they Hawks have had this weird win 2, lose 2 inconsistency plaguing their season, the Packers started 6-0 and were thought by many to be assured a Super Bowl spot...they've gone from "who will beat the Packers" to "who can the Packers beat"

 

[HawkFan72]

Mike McCarthy: "at least our guy actually caught the ball in this one"

Nice. Getting a gift and still managing to be a pissy whiner about a past call.

Finally. He admits his guy didn't catch the ball the last time.

This post needs to be appreciated more. Bravo.