I hate to act like a Raven's fan, but...

[Nick79]

This officiating sucks! I can point to one play and say the refs screwed us out of a win based on it. And I'm not ashamed to do it. That PI in the end zone in the 3rd quarter, it was obviously the DB hitting Martavis Bryant in the back and arms repeatedly as the ball was approaching in the air. Then they pick up the flag? The announcers replayed it and asked "how could that not be PI?" A TD there would have got us to 17, and possibly the win. So if the ref throws the flag, why do they need to huddle up? I think they need to make their discussion public. Apparently the guy who threw the flag believed it was PI, why should they huddle up? I think a start could be. NO HUDDLING UP by the refs. What exactly could have that conversation been to pick up that flag. It was obvious PI. Refs huddles should be miked up.

[steelmann58]

was it the ref closest to the play I did not see it. I would like to know what the others seen that convinced him to change hi mind.

[Nick79]

was it the ref closest to the play I did not see it. I would like to know what the others seen that convinced him to change hi mind.

But why do they do that like 10 times a game? Huddle up and change calls? It makes them look bad. I think fans would not be as frustrated to just accept the calls rather than be totally confused when they come out and just say "there was no penalty for PI" without an explanation.

[jeemie]

There were three egregious errors by the officials I saw, and they all broke the Bengals' way, fueling this speculation that the refs were conspiring so Cincinnati would win.

The first was the horrible spot on Miller's reception. At least that got overturned on Tomlin's challenge.

The second was the DPI. Since when did DPI become "the receiver was not impeded, so no flag"? And how could have been ruled no impedance anyway? Bryant was smacked- SMACKED- four times. Deliberately- it was not just incidental contact.

The spot on the Green catch that Cockrell was contesting that was ruled a first down. There was no way Green should have been given forward progress, as he did not establish possession (and never really established FULL possession) until after he went backwards.

[Nick79]

I think the ref closest to the play threw the flag.

[jeemie]

was it the ref closest to the play I did not see it. I would like to know what the others seen that convinced him to change hi mind.

But why do they do that like 10 times a game? Huddle up and change calls? It makes them look bad. I think fans would not be as frustrated to just accept the calls rather than be totally confused when they come out and just say "there was no penalty for PI" without an explanation.

They did explain it- it's just their explanation was bogus. They ruled Bryant wasn't impeded. Bullshit, and when did that become the standard anyway?

[Nick79]

There were three egregious errors by the officials I saw, and they all broke the Bengals' way, fueling this speculation that the refs were conspiring so Cincinnati would win.

The first was the horrible spot on Miller's reception. At least that got overturned on Tomlin's challenge.

The second was the DPI. Since when did DPI become "the receiver was not impeded, so no flag"? And how could have been ruled no impedance anyway? Bryant was smacked- SMACKED- four times. Deliberately- it was not just incidental contact.

The spot on the Green catch that Cockrell was contesting that was ruled a first down. There was no way Green should have been given forward progress, as he did not establish possession (and never really established FULL possession) until after he went backwards.

Exactly, those 3 plays are clear in my mind!

The no call on the PI was the back breaker, we would have had 1st and goal at the 1.

So if the receiver isn't "impeded" does that mean if the receiver is a big strong guy who can fight through interference that it shouldn't be called against little DBs guarding him? That's what it sounds like. To me if you are just pushed or hit at all, with the ball in the air, even if it doesn't phase you, you should get the flag.

[Legacy User]

The spot on the Green catch that Cockrell was contesting that was ruled a first down. There was no way Green should have been given forward progress, as he did not establish possession (and never really established FULL possession) until after he went backwards.

Wasn't there another questionable spot, possibly on the same drive? Could be wrong...some cobwebs in the brain today.


....worst part about picking up a flag on the Bryant play....the ball still should've been caught. No worries about flags then.

The call i'm pissed off most about was the taunting call on Clark. Unless he was warned prior to that and blew the ref off...but that was crap.

[franco32]

Actually, the worst non-call was on the play right before the Green TD. It was a swing pass that went for 8 yards. Two Steelers were there including Shazier to make the play and they whiffed. Problem is...one of them was blocked in the back.

If you are going to call a block in the back on Mitchell's interception when Blake basically just rested his hands on Green the way you would putting a baby to sleep...then you have to call the block in the back on that Cincy swing pass. Atrocious.

[SteelyourFace]

"there was no pass impedence on the play as the receiver was not impeded...by the guy who hit him before the ball arrived"

"he only tried his darndest to impede the receiver, he just isn't good enough at impeding receiver to impede them all that much"

[R_S]

One of the last drives. The steelers defender knocked the shit out of the receiver in the back of the endzone several times. It was either a no call or a the refs picked up the flag in favor of the Steelers. It seemed like a bit of a makeup call for the earlier flag picked up against Bryant but still, the refs were pretty shitting for the bungs at times too.

[Nick79]

The call i'm pissed off most about was the taunting call on Clark. Unless he was warned prior to that and blew the ref off...but that was crap.

Both guys are jawing, at worse it should have been offsetting. Taunting should be a monetary fine and not a big one either, maybe $5k at the most. By giving them a 1st down, after the defense stopped them, any score that happens on that drive is an illegitimate score, a fake outcome that has nothing to do with playing football.

[jeemie]

One of the last drives. The steelers defender knocked the shit out of the receiver in the back of the endzone several times. It was either a no call or a the refs picked up the flag in favor of the Steelers. It seemed like a bit of a makeup call for the earlier flag picked up against Bryant but still, the refs were pretty shitting for the bungs at times too.

In general, I thought the refs were way too flag-happy yesterday. Some of the holds I did see called were questionable. A couple they called but CBS didn't show the replays on I have a sneaking suspicion were not holds at all.

We also did get helped on our final drive on the fake spike. I believe the announcers were correct that if a player retreats backwards from his own goal line in order to get out of bounds, the clock should start up again when the ball is spotted. The officials blew that one even after Marvin Lewis pointed it out to them.

[jeemie]

B2B clarified the Bryant OOBs call on another thread. I, and the announcers, got this wrong...the clock would have only kept running had they ruled Bryant's forward progress stopped. they didn't rule that, so stopping the clock was the right call.

[Legacy User]

The PI flag reversal on the deep throw to MB was unbelievable.

I thought at that point we were gonna win with an upcoming 1st and goal.

Not a conspiracy believer, but the officiating was questionable.

[Legacy User]

The call i'm pissed off most about was the taunting call on Clark. Unless he was warned prior to that and blew the ref off...but that was crap.

Both guys are jawing, at worse it should have been offsetting. Taunting should be a monetary fine and not a big one either, maybe $5k at the most. By giving them a 1st down, after the defense stopped them, any score that happens on that drive is an illegitimate score, a fake outcome that has nothing to do with playing football.

They basically got a free 1st down because a defender said something to hurt their feelings

[Legacy User]

There were three egregious errors by the officials I saw, and they all broke the Bengals' way, fueling this speculation that the refs were conspiring so Cincinnati would win.

The first was the horrible spot on Miller's reception. At least that got overturned on Tomlin's challenge.

The second was the DPI. Since when did DPI become "the receiver was not impeded, so no flag"? And how could have been ruled no impedance anyway? Bryant was smacked- SMACKED- four times. Deliberately- it was not just incidental contact.

The spot on the Green catch that Cockrell was contesting that was ruled a first down. There was no way Green should have been given forward progress, as he did not establish possession (and never really established FULL possession) until after he went backwards.

I remember reading a linked article, I believe here in a thread, that an insider (official? executive? dont remember) that the NFL is essentially entertainment. Inferring there is rigging going on. Since the refs work directly from the commissioner, well.

That made me recall how angry Roger the Clown looked as the Steelers defeated the Giants post Sandy. I don't think its at the level of Vince McMahon but some calls are just incredible.

[Thrillsseeker]

There were three egregious errors by the officials I saw, and they all broke the Bengals' way, fueling this speculation that the refs were conspiring so Cincinnati would win.

The first was the horrible spot on Miller's reception. At least that got overturned on Tomlin's challenge.

The second was the DPI. Since when did DPI become "the receiver was not impeded, so no flag"? And how could have been ruled no impedance anyway? Bryant was smacked- SMACKED- four times. Deliberately- it was not just incidental contact.

The spot on the Green catch that Cockrell was contesting that was ruled a first down. There was no way Green should have been given forward progress, as he did not establish possession (and never really established FULL possession) until after he went backwards.

I remember reading a linked article, I believe here in a thread, that an insider (official? executive? dont remember) that the NFL is essentially entertainment. Inferring there is rigging going on. Since the refs work directly from the commissioner, well.

That made me recall how angry Roger the Clown looked as the Steelers defeated the Giants post Sandy. I don't think its at the level of Vince McMahon but some calls are just incredible.

Exactly where I'm at. I after the PI flag gets picked up and the poor spot on the 1st down from Heath, I'm txting two buddies during the game asking them to tell me that shady shit isn't going on in the game. The replay of the 1st down spot shows the side judge standing 3ft from the play, hands on knees and staring directly at the action yet the spot is a yard off? Fucking bullshit.

[R_S]

The PI flag reversal on the deep throw to MB was unbelievable.

I thought at that point we were gonna win with an upcoming 1st and goal.

Not a conspiracy believer, but the officiating was questionable.

The flag that was picked up in the back of the endzone was and equally shitty no call. So they made up for it. Does anyone remember that play? I think it was right before the field goal block. It's all a blur to me.

[Orangesteel]

The PI flag reversal on the deep throw to MB was unbelievable.

I thought at that point we were gonna win with an upcoming 1st and goal.

Not a conspiracy believer, but the officiating was questionable.

The flag that was picked up in the back of the endzone was and equally shitty no call. So they made up for it. Does anyone remember that play? I think it was right before the field goal block. It's all a blur to me.

I'm 99% sure that was on Green and he eventually scored on the next play. Cockrell basically tackled him out of the back of the endzone and I agree, it should have been a penalty.

Arguing about bad calls is dumb, IMO. People should be directing their attention to that idiot on the sideline calling himself a head coach.

[Suwanee88]

I would like to know how the little c.unt from New England (Edelman) can get up, screaming in somebody's face after a 10 yard reception and not get a taunting call like what happened in Week 1 - how?

[Legacy User]

I would like to know how the little c.unt from New England (Edelman) can get up, screaming in somebody's face after a 10 yard reception and not get a taunting call like what happened in Week 1 - how?

He's "scrappy" or "fiery" so he gets a pass

[Nick79]

Arguing about bad calls is dumb.

No it isn't, when these assholes put us through one review after another, one stoppage after another, one ref's conference after another, with 10 commercials stacked in between while we sit twiddling our thumbs or surfing the net on our iPhones, all in the name of "GETTING IT RIGHT", damn right arguing about bad calls is valid as hell! Damn right it's SMART, not dumb! IMO, they can't get it right because they've made the damn game way to complicated and these refs barely know the rules, and some of these "bad calls" in many games, not just this one are so unbelievably bad that people are starting to feel something shady is going on. I'm starting to think I'm going to give up on the game soon, and the reason will be THE RULES above all else. More time is spent "enforcing the 100 gazillion rules" than is spent playing the games.

[BethlehemSteel]

The fix is always in

Too much cashola to think its on the level

[COR-TEN]

A couple they called but CBS didn't show the replays on I have a sneaking suspicion were not holds at all.

I've been saying this for a few years now. When the calls are questionable at game speed - or not even visible - CBS, which has the "rights" to broadcast the games, fails to show a replay. I remember years ago that every single penalty was shown in replay. They just gloss over it now.

NFL is entertainment, and have made it known in a courtroom that "fair" is not guaranteed. How else do you explain "parity?" Its all speculation, really. I stopped worrying about the calls that are bogus. What's the point?

[Nick79]

Another thing, why all the referee "conferences" they meet every game on the field like 10 times to discuss and pick up flags. When did this start? I don't feel like this was common before the last few years, neither the conferences nor the picking up of flags.

[Donnie Brasco]

I would like to know how the little c.unt from New England (Edelman) can get up, screaming in somebody's face after a 10 yard reception and not get a taunting call like what happened in Week 1 - how?

He's "scrappy" or "fiery" so he gets a pass

Scrappy = little white guy

See also, Woodhead, Welker

[swissvale72]

was it the ref closest to the play I did not see it. I would like to know what the others seen that convinced him to change hi mind.

But why do they do that like 10 times a game? Huddle up and change calls? It makes them look bad. I think fans would not be as frustrated to just accept the calls rather than be totally confused when they come out and just say "there was no penalty for PI" without an explanation.

They did explain it- it's just their explanation was bogus. They ruled Bryant wasn't impeded. Bullshit, and when did that become the standard anyway?

Watching it again, Jeems....I don't think Bryant was "restricted,"....that's the terminology that was used, but yes, is that the standard?

Fuckin' Bryant flat dropped that ball.

[swissvale72]

The call i'm pissed off most about was the taunting call on Clark. Unless he was warned prior to that and blew the ref off...but that was crap.

Both guys are jawing, at worse it should have been offsetting. Taunting should be a monetary fine and not a big one either, maybe $5k at the most. By giving them a 1st down, after the defense stopped them, any score that happens on that drive is an illegitimate score, a fake outcome that has nothing to do with playing football.

Totally agree....fuck those flags for "taunting."

[swissvale72]

The PI flag reversal on the deep throw to MB was unbelievable.

I thought at that point we were gonna win with an upcoming 1st and goal.

Not a conspiracy believer, but the officiating was questionable.

The flag that was picked up in the back of the endzone was and equally shitty no call. So they made up for it. Does anyone remember that play? I think it was right before the field goal block. It's all a blur to me.

I think it was worse actually. And no, wasn't before the FG block, was a couple plays before the Blake pick.