Can Someone Explain Why We Lost Ball Spot Challenge?

[Msfann]

NFL rule book
Page 98, Article 4, Part (c), bullet 2:
Other reviewable plays: 2. The position of the ball with respect to a first down.

Also, as for the marker - the bit on the ground isn't official, it's the sticks that are official. There's only one set of official sticks on one side of the field; the bits on the ground are a basic visual reference for the approximate location of the first down.

I'm guessing that side of the field where Russ went out was the unofficial side, hence the conflicting visuals. Since the ref determined he did not gain enough for a first down, the challenge is lost because see the rule book above.

That's a good point, IF the marker on the ground was in the wrong spot then this could be the correct call, but that goes back to what I've been saying about games on Fox and replays. a lot of the times there would be a close play and instead of showing it they instantly go to a shot of the crowd then never go back to the replay.
It looked so obvious that he made the 1st down that the dingleberry announcers should have said something and then showed us the replay again.

Hopefully someone will ask a player or a coach sometime and we'll get a better answer because it looks like a bs to me.

 

[Zebulon Dak]

having calls go against you seems like a new experience to you guys lol

Nope. Used to it. Also used to 49er fans not knowing shit about football or life.

 

[12thManNorth]

I'm still pissed off about this play. At the time I was thinking "ohhhhhhhhhhhh no !" with thoughts of our last SB appearance dancing through my head

 

[ManBunts]

It was lack of "conclusive" evidence to overturn it. It's the "innocent until proven guilty" idea. Frankly while I think it was a first down, I wasn't so upset about not getting that. What I was upset about was the spot. The spotted the ball a full yard behind the marker. Should've been inches at most, an easy pickup for Lynch. I'd love to the ability to argue the spot of the ball, but at the same time, that might slow the game down a lot, and I don't know how you'd determine if you "win" that or not.

But all in all, I have to say a well officiated game. Those refs threw their bodies in there with reckless abandon to break up scuffles. The only bad call I saw missed was the offensive PI on Sherman. Definitely should've been called. That said, pretty sure we nabbed a fumble a plays later.

All that said, let it go folks. Stop the conspiracy theories, release the anger...we won. We won emphatically. Just enjoy it!

 

[kidhawk]

I will go back and watch..but what I believe was said is that the spot was originally wrong but not enough to give a first down.. fair enough..but then they said that this means we didnt win the challenge. Which confuses me. They moved the ball up from the initial spot.. a few inches.

If you look in the gif, Wilson put the ball down on the first down marker..but put it down out of bounds.

Basically the answer to the question is moving the spot of the ball doesn't equate to winning the challenge, otherwise they could probably challenge all over the place because it's hard to get the spot "exact". When challenging a spot, it has to have the effect of changing the down. If it doesn't change it to a first down, then you can't win the challenge. Personally I thought it was REALLY close. I don't know what the rule is about the sideline. I know that on a punt it's where the ball crosses the sideline marker in the air. I know for the End Zone the sideline doesn't matter as long as you get to the line. I just don't know what the rule is for stretching out. I'm guessing by the result that they are saying the ball may have crossed the plane of the sideline before it got to the first down spot. At the time I wanted to hear an explanation but it didn't take long for me to stop caring

 

[MizzouHawkGal]

No. That was a flat out obvious blown call. Even on the replay. 100% wrong. The video is clear as day; he sets the ball right on the yardage marker.

well they had to stall the seahawks, the last thing the nfl wants in the super bowl is a blow out because it would hurt the ratings.

So not only did they blow the call but they were wrong about the ratings. Very nice!

 

[MizzouHawkGal]

No. That was a flat out obvious blown call. Even on the replay. 100% wrong. The video is clear as day; he sets the ball right on the yardage marker.

well they had to stall the seahawks, the last thing the nfl wants in the super bowl is a blow out because it would hurt the ratings.

So not only did they blow the call but they were wrong about the ratings. Very nice!

 

[Seahaaaawks]

That call proves to me that "challenge flags" and "reviews" are a joke. Cause 50% of the time they still get the call wrong. All it comes down too is a judgement call, which would be the same without replays.

 

[Our Man in Chicago]

It was a blown call. The marker was in the correct position (at the 8 yard line), and the tip of the ball is clearly over the yard marker. That call rankled me, but the rest of the game had a way of diffusing the situation.

 

[5meterhawkfan]

All star crew, cmon guys. We all know how good it is to break up an officiating crew that has worked together all year. :sarcasm_off:

The announcing was really poor too, just like the NFCCG. At least they got back from commercial on time

 

[Chukarhawk]

id also like to know where the hold was on that Turbin run. WTF? about as phantom a call as i have seen.