Did the Lions Get a Game "Stealered" from Them?

[RiverDog]

When it rains, it pours. It must suck to be a Lions fan right now. They must think that the whole world is against them. As Seahawk fans, I think we can all identify with what they must be going through right now. I can just see them fighting between each other over the impact caused by the officiating, like we did in the aftermath of XL.

But I'm still not prepared to jump on the conspiracy bandwagon. Holding on offensive linemen is frequently missed, and it's hard for us to tell what the ref saw or didn't see. Do we not make statements like "let them play"? It seems to me that the refs were conscious of not wanting to create a controversy or themselves become the center of attention, which could be the reason why they didn't flag Dez. To the contrary, their reluctance to stay out of the spotlight put them in the spotlight.

It was a poorly officiated game that favored the Cowboys, but it wasn't the largest determining factor in the outcome. Dallas's defense isn't that good to where they can hold playoff quality offenses to a puny 6 points in 3 quarters.

[Hawktawk]

The Suh play was more obvious than the PI. No way it was missed, it was IGNORED.

Its a multibillion dollar industry with jaded billionaire owners who want to win and a Commissioner who wants to grow the brand. Anyone who is absolutely certain its all on the up and up is maybe a bit naïve.

[NorthHawk]

It's not a conspiracy, just incompetence from a crew that might just have been in over their head.
It shouldn't happen in a multi billion dollar business like the NFL, but that's the way it seems to be.

[RiverDog]

It's not a conspiracy, just incompetence from a crew that might just have been in over their head.
It shouldn't happen in a multi billion dollar business like the NFL, but that's the way it seems to be.

That's my take, too. As we are so well aware, this isn't the first time there's been a problem with the officiating and that it favored one team, and it won't be the last time, either.

My understanding is that this was the first time these refs had ever worked together, which seems odd as I always thought that they kept crews together even through the playoffs.

[NorthHawk]

I heard on NFL Radio, that the Official's CBA compels them make the best rated officials into teams for the playoffs.
It's a stupid idea in my opinion ready made for mistakes as they have never, or rarely worked together before and might not be comfortable with each others strengths and weaknesses as well as whether they should challenge another if they think he's wrong. That comfort and trust level isn't established for the most important time of the season.

[kalibane]

It certainly doesn't help the product on the field but I get why the process is what it is. Say you are the best graded umpire in the league but you're stuck with one of the worst crews. Now even though you are the best at what you do, you end up losing out on that playoff check because other people are bad at their jobs.

They will need to get creative to address this issue so we get the best on field product but the vest individual refs are penalized for circumstances beyond their control.

[NorthHawk]

It certainly doesn't help the product on the field but I get why the process is what it is. Say you are the best graded umpire in the league but you're stuck with one of the worst crews. Now even though you are the best at what you do, you end up losing out on that playoff check because other people are bad at their jobs.

They will need to get creative to address this issue so we get the best on field product but the vest individual refs are penalized for circumstances beyond their control.

Yah, everyone wins when the best product is on the field, but sometimes when you put together "All Star" teams, they don't work as well as groups that have worked together for a long period of time. Over time, it might change, but there are only a few chances in the Wild Card games and first Playoff games to get it right and without the experience of working together it can hinder their efficacy.

[RiverDog]

I heard on NFL Radio, that the Official's CBA compels them make the best rated officials into teams for the playoffs.
It's a stupid idea in my opinion ready made for mistakes as they have never, or rarely worked together before and might not be comfortable with each others strengths and weaknesses as well as whether they should challenge another if they think he's wrong. That comfort and trust level isn't established for the most important time of the season.

Geez, you would think that the officials themselves would opt to stay together as a unit rather than be forced to work with unfamiliar partners. Stupid unions anyway.

[Long Time Fan]

It's not a conspiracy, just incompetence

Short of a conspiracy, but, no doubt epidemic to the point of being glaringly uneven, whereby any team, anywhere, anytime, could fall victim to a season ending miscall. When you have the best team, any unleveler; weather, refs, erratic ball bounces, become dreaded. On a level playing field, I expect us to repeat.

But I do not expect level playing fields; that is my worry.

[NorthHawk]

I think bad calls are everyone's nightmare.
To think that all that work for the last 5 months (official league time) might have been lost because of a controversial call puts the whole league in a bad light.

Sure, the Refs are part of the game, but they shouldn't make basic mistakes.
I wonder when Morelli first announced the call and then they had a conversation prior to picking up the flag, did he, as the Head Ref ask what angle they saw it from and if they could in fact clearly see no infraction was committed and did he ask the Official who threw the flag if he had a clear view as well?
I'd really like to know the conversation that went on.
These are things that teams of Officials who work together for a long time know how to do efficiently and with a large degree of trust, that might not be established with new teams.

[Hawktawk]

.

I think bad calls are everyone's nightmare.
To think that all that work for the last 5 months (official league time) might have been lost because of a controversial call puts the whole league in a bad light.

Sure, the Refs are part of the game, but they shouldn't make basic mistakes.
I wonder when Morelli first announced the call and then they had a conversation prior to picking up the flag, did he, as the Head Ref ask what angle they saw it from and if they could in fact clearly see no infraction was committed and did he ask the Official who threw the flag if he had a clear view as well?
I'd really like to know the conversation that went on.
These are things that teams of Officials who work together for a long time know how to do efficiently and with a large degree of trust, that might not be established with new teams.

.

There was no huddle of all officials. It never happened. A ref went and picked up the flag after a minute elapsed and both teams had re spotted to the spot of the OBVIOUS foul.And there was NO explanation after Moroni had given a complete announcement of the call. It was bizarre and unprecedented as I (and the announcers) could recall. There had been a no call on a blatant obvious hold where Pettigrew's jersey was stretched back at least 2 feet behind his body earlier in the play. Then the no call on the BLATANT hold on Suh(Blandino's words, not mine.)Then a couple of ticky tack drive extending calls on Detroit proving they actually had eyes but also proving how biased they were in flipping the momentum of the game..

Sorry i aint buying it. I haven't since Feb 5th 2005 and as long as I see guys making a quarter mil a year to referee mangling certain games this badly favoring one team I never will. Never.
There are microphones among officials. There are lines of communication to the mother ship in New York and its Jones drinking buddy Blandino on the other end of the phone. The money is astronomical and the system is so married together its rife for abuse. Add in the specter of gambling addiction, mob influence,Vegas. I think its foolish to think its all squeaky clean.
More suspicious than ever.

[NorthHawk]

There must have been some type of conversation as the reports are that the other Official said there was no contact.
If that's all Morelli took to reverse it, then he should never referee another game. It's just plain incompetence.

[RiverDog]

I think bad calls are everyone's nightmare.
To think that all that work for the last 5 months (official league time) might have been lost because of a controversial call puts the whole league in a bad light.

Sure, the Refs are part of the game, but they shouldn't make basic mistakes.
I wonder when Morelli first announced the call and then they had a conversation prior to picking up the flag, did he, as the Head Ref ask what angle they saw it from and if they could in fact clearly see no infraction was committed and did he ask the Official who threw the flag if he had a clear view as well?
I'd really like to know the conversation that went on.
These are things that teams of Officials who work together for a long time know how to do efficiently and with a large degree of trust, that might not be established with new teams.

That's part of the problem. The head ref should always confer with his crew before making any announcement, then once the announcement is made, the case is closed, they spot the ball, get the down/clock right, and get on with the game. That seems to me to be pretty basic whether or not they were accustomed to each other.

The crew just plain blew it. IMO they were feeling the pressure as much if not more than the players were.

[NorthHawk]

Bart Scott thinks something was up. He's from Detroit so his viewpoint is biased, but he came out and said it.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20 ... in-dallas/

[Seahawks4Ever]

Why is the Ref. who botched our first Super Bowl still working games for the NFL if the games are not fixed, to a certain degree????? I mean, he blew a few more games on national T.V. again this season and has been botching, or "kicking" (as he calls it) penalty calls his whole career. I am not talking regular goofs, I am talking about game changing calls (or non calls) that many times have affected big games and many time coaches careers. Dennis Erickson was fired as HC of the Seahawks because a blind Ref. (I think he still is a Ref) thought Vinnie Testeverde's white Jets helmet was a brown football. Now, I am glad we had the Mike Holmgren era but it wasn't fair to Dennis and all of his other coaches and their families who got fired right along with him. The NFL keeps these idiots around for some reason and it can't be good. Don't tell me that the official's union is protecting them either, that is a lot of hogwash. we found out how weak their union was when the NFL locked out all of the officials a few years ago and only brought them back when replacements proved to be really worse.