Who wants to talk about the officiating?

[Long Time Fan]

I'm not blaming officiating for any of our losses; poor play has been the culprit.

But, the lack of a review of the near game end fumble was unconscionable. These officiating gaffes are among a series of NFL embarrassments that would bring down any other reputable business.

The NFL now has me as a pavlovian dog, whereby, at the end of every play I am looking for the ubiquitous penalty flag.

[FolkCrusader]

The only question I have is who had the ball at the bottom of the pile? If it's a Ram, its all moot anyway as the ball would have gone back to them at the point of fumble.

The game book says this; "(1:14) T.Mason left tackle to SEA 46 for 9 yards (M.Smith). FUMBLES (M.Smith), touched at SEA 36, recovered by SL-C.Harkey at SEA 32.
Ball recovered by SL at the SEA 32, by rule it returned to the spot where the ball is batted forward."

If you watch the video Harkey was the first Ram to get to the ball, but the ball rolled well beyond him. If he did get the the ball he literally crawled under the pile to get it. Also, when he gets up he does not celebrate or get any pats on the back. Nothing. I don't buy it.

[Hawkstar]

The only question I have is who had the ball at the bottom of the pile? If it's a Ram, its all moot anyway as the ball would have gone back to them at the point of fumble.

The game book says this; "(1:14) T.Mason left tackle to SEA 46 for 9 yards (M.Smith). FUMBLES (M.Smith), touched at SEA 36, recovered by SL-C.Harkey at SEA 32.
Ball recovered by SL at the SEA 32, by rule it returned to the spot where the ball is batted forward."

If you watch the video Harkey was the first Ram to get to the ball, but the ball rolled well beyond him. If he did get the the ball he literally crawled under the pile to get it. Also, when he gets up he does not celebrate or get any pats on the back. Nothing. I don't buy it.

He didn't have the ball. (I don't think Sherman did either, but he appeared to be close to recovering it) Regardless, it was odd to see the ref appear with the ball, or perhaps it was another ball. To your point, there was a strange lack of emotion by either team once the pile was broken up. A strange play in a game full of them.

[HumanCockroach]

The issues I had with the refs this game extend well beyond the lack of responsibility shown on that final fateful fumble recovered by Seattle, er STL, er the referee.

1) How does a penalty flag not get thrown on a shot to a sliding QB? That is automatic, and is throevery time ( well almost everytime, unless the mans last happens to be Wilson for some reason).

2) How in the WORLD does Quick punch Simon in the FM with a closed fist in front of the referee draw a 15 yard penalty, and somehow not get ejected??? That is an AUTOMATIC ejection.

3) How is the blatant FM on Turbin, out in the open, with his head being wrenched around, NOT called?? Yet the sort of FM on Simon was??

4) How is the bear hug performed on Thomas, not called?? RIGHT in front of the refhow in the ain.

5) How the world is a DPI called on a DB that is dragged down by his jersey, while playing PERFECT coverage called to extend a drive, when it is the receiver dragging the DB to the ground ( I suspect to keep him from being able to play a poorly thrown ball to the inside, though I doubt he could have) so much for that emphasis ( as if it ever really was).

6) two blatant tackles on Bennet no calls

7) late shot on Wilson, with a knee to the head
t, no call
*

8) the "mystery" hold call on the Lynch TD run

9) again, db's arriving early on critical 3rd down, hitting Baldwin before ball arrives, forcing Seattle to settle for three.

10) And finally, the fumble recovered by Sherman, not being reviewed, with a half ass explanation about how the player at the bootm of the pile does not receive possesion, as if that isn't how they have done it for the last 100 Years. Hell they did it LAST damn week in Seattle on the fumbled punt return, and handed the possesion to Seattle, because She ad had the ball for the love of god)

[SalmonBB]

Yeah, that was some of the worst officiating I've seen in quite some time. Rams won, but regardless of the outcome, the officiating was terrible. That'll probably earn them a spot reffing this year's Superbowl.

GO SEAHAWKS!!!

[mykc14]

The issues I had with the refs this game extend well beyond the lack of responsibility shown on that final fateful fumble recovered by Seattle, er STL, er the referee.

1) How does a penalty flag not get thrown on a shot to a sliding QB? That is automatic, and is throevery time ( well almost everytime, unless the mans last happens to be Wilson for some reason).

2) How in the WORLD does Quick punch Simon in the FM with a closed fist in front of the referee draw a 15 yard penalty, and somehow not get ejected??? That is an AUTOMATIC ejection.

3) How is the blatant FM on Turbin, out in the open, with his head being wrenched around, NOT called?? Yet the sort of FM on Simon was??

4) How is the bear hug performed on Thomas, not called?? RIGHT in front of the refhow in the ain.

5) How the world is a DPI called on a DB that is dragged down by his jersey, while playing PERFECT coverage called to extend a drive, when it is the receiver dragging the DB to the ground ( I suspect to keep him from being able to play a poorly thrown ball to the inside, though I doubt he could have) so much for that emphasis ( as if it ever really was).

6) two blatant tackles on Bennet no calls

7) late shot on Wilson, with a knee to the head
t, no call
*

8) the "mystery" hold call on the Lynch TD run

9) again, db's arriving early on critical 3rd down, hitting Baldwin before ball arrives, forcing Seattle to settle for three.

10) And finally, the fumble recovered by Sherman, not being reviewed, with a half ass explanation about how the player at the bootm of the pile does not receive possesion, as if that isn't how they have done it for the last 100 Years. Hell they did it LAST damn week in Seattle on the fumbled punt return, and handed the possesion to Seattle, because She ad had the ball for the love of god)

I am glad you mentioned a few of these because I have not really heard them discussed much, especially the PI call on Simon as he was being held and pulled to the ground and the obvious holds on Bennett, one of which was on that long pass play on their last TD drive, terrible. It was so obvoius turned towards the kitchen knowing the play was coming back, but I was wrong. I agree about the others as well, but they were more obvious and have been discussed. I have not been impressed with the officials this year and IMO (being a coach myself and loathing this excuse) it seems like we are getting the ass end of the calls more often then not.

[HumanCockroach]

I agree, when I was coaching and playing I firmly believed there would be one or two calls my team would "have to overcome" just felt like in this game in particular, it was a disproportionate amount of them. The game needs to be as damn even as the officials can possibly make it, and this game it simply wasn't ( and to be honest the disporportion goes back several weeks with numerous "questionable" calls across the board). Sometimes I'm not sure about it. I don't believe there is a conspiracy to screw the Hawks, however maybe human nature kicks in, and these officials are subconsciously attempting to "even" the playing field.

What I do know from what I have seen, is that if it is "questionable" on the Hawks, the flag is coming out every time, and if it is "questionable" for the Hawks opponent,it isn't. Sometimes that IS the difference between a win and a loss. The disparity in the NFL is paper thin ( after all, even "bad" teams have premier athletes) sometimes I do wonder, if the leagues desire of parity, influences how games are called. Not saying it is a conspiracy, just that, there may indeed be an involuntary tendacy to help the "lesser" team along.

Champions overcome penalties, but there is a limit to that, and the officials at this point, are influencing outcomes far to much IMHO at this point ( and it isn't IMO restricted solely to the Hawks, they have cost other teams wins early and often this season). Blandino should be addressing this, but it seems that he is more interested in performing the PR spin move, than actual improving the quality of the performance of those placed under him.

Interesting side note. Tonight in the MNF there happened to be a fumble ( typical) followed by a pile up ( automatic) after pulling players out of said pile up, the possession of the ball was given to ? You guessed it, the guy at the bottom of the pile with the ball ( hmmm) they then REVIEWED it, and possession stayed with the player with the ball. So my question is, according to Blandino, the player at the bottom of the pile, with the ball does not prove possession, and no video evidence was conclusive enough to determine the player that did gain it, then A) it is not reviewable ( yet it was in this instance, and somehow in the last 2. Minutes in Seattle's game it didn't necessitate that) B) recovering the ball does not somehow constitute possession, because no one knows what happened to the ball down there ( yet in this instance that is exactly what determined it, and has for the last century) C) Sherman is shown over the ball, with a leg and an arm, AND has the ball when the refs take the ball from him ( as far as pileups go, this has to be one of the MOST conclusive cases in the last 10 years).

IMHO, if Blandino had the cojones to simply say we f'ld up, the Sh!tstorm he is currently receiving, would have quelled a bit. Simply do NOT understand an officials refusal, to own up to what they do. Makes zero sense. I understand, that they are human and make mistakes ( any rational fan would) but refusing to own up to them, and then getting stonewalled just fans the flames.

also on a side note I'm GLAD ET and the fans have held them to task, SF did the SAME thing after there first three games, and the balance shifted to a more even keel approach, hopefully the same happens for Seattle.

[burrrton]

I'm not one who embraces any conspiracy (not that anybody here is necessarily advocating that), but yeah, the officiating has been absolutely *horrible* this year.

Every dmn game, there are so many calls that just baffle the mind.

They're FAR too big a part of every game now, and I hope the NFL offices are reviewing their performances.

[SalmonBB]

Not to belabor last weekend any further, but to add to the list of poor officiating examples from last weekend, I just saw one of a cheap shot of Lockette on the sideline after the play. The ref saw it and said to Lockette "That was a cheap shot," as if he was sympathizing with him. WHY DIDN'T HE CALL IT!?!?!?

Check it out. It occurs around the 55 second mark in the following link:
http://www.seahawks.com/videos-photos/v ... 904403d84e

GO SEAHAWKS!!!

[curmudgeon]

NFL Officiating and the "New York" replay review command center brought to you by the Las Vegas Gambling Commission........

[Hawktawk]

NFL Officiating and the "New York" replay review command center brought to you by the Las Vegas Gambling Commission........

Someone finally said it....Ground control to major tom we have all the calls in the mother lode, the mother ship. It is an unprecedented level of administrative control over officials on the field.