This entire situation is proof that the referees need to be mic'd in to someone during the game. It creates a grey area where there could be scandal but for the most part NFL announcers notice this shit right away. Just like most terrible pass interference calls are a lot easier to see on replay. Have an eye in the sky talking to the referees after they throw the flag and discuss how it really looks so they can pickup flags and not ruin a teams season. The entire complexion of the Lions season is changed because of something like this. Penalties in general around the league are getting ridiculous. They always error on the side of throwing the flag and there's absolutely no contact whatsoever allowed between a receiver and defensive back even when the receiver initiates it and furthermore embellished the call. I don't blame them entirely except for that moron last night that seemed to understand the rule but kept his flag in his pocket. They're coached to flag defenders at all costs and to keep the losing teams in games on nationally televised games so they keep viewers through the 4th quarter. It's also incredibly hard to make these calls in real time. But god damn let the players play a little bit. Very few secondary players from the 80's and 90s and even early 2000s could play in this league because of it.
Terrible terrible call... of course if Calvin holds on to the ball the refs don't get a chance to blow the call. Just sayin'
Lions don't have a lionsesque game in this isn't an issue. Seattle does seem to have their share of luck at home. Not sure if I've ever brought it up on this forum and but about to go a little off topic. (I blame being a bit drunk waiting for wild card baseball) Considering that football is a game a measurements after a majority of plays and that measurements are determined by balls being spotted by referees who have human error because they are human, these not so perfect spots added up over the course of a game would probably equal yards of not truly gained of lost yardage. That could equal a new first down. A field goal attempt that's a bit farther. A punt that results in a touchback instead on being downed at the 1 yard line, etc. I think it's kinda weird to think about. I'm also surprised there has not been a way to put a chip inside a football that would give you exact measurements.
Don't fumble the ball inside the one yard line and it's a non-issue. That's the risk you take when the ball comes away from your body. Dumb rule is dumb. If he didn't break the rule and tried to catch it, either he catches the ball after the bounce and it'll be a touchback or he bobbles it out of bounds and it's a touchback. There was no Lions players anywhere nearby so they were screwed regardless.
It's not a dumb rule at all. A fumble is a 50-50 ball, meaning a defender batting the ball out of the end zone without gaining possession slants the play entirely in favor of the defense. The 50-50 ball must be recovered in play, which is why the penalty exists in the first place.
Couldn't agree more. There are far too many picky penalties that give an automatic first down to the offense for doing absolutely nothing of worth. It's getting to the point where defenders will have to play with their hands tied behind their backs.
If a fumble was truly a 50-50 ball then why does the offense get it if it goes out of bounds? And obviously it doesn't have to be recovered in play because if it had just bounced out it would have gone to Seattle. The end zone rules are stupid
Yes. its like all the other rules of the sport go out the window when the end zone is involved. It is quite a flawed game
They had a big debate on Mike and Mike today if this type of shit should be reviewable. There is no way it should be. It's a judgement call, the guy had bad judgement. Golic brought up a terrific point on how if its under 2 minutes and a RB breaks off a huge run, but maybe there was holding.. everyone knows their is holding on every play, if its reviewed and we see that the LT is holding, it comes back? No way. You will open up Pandora's box if you allow judgement calls to be challenged or reviewed
The problem with that, is that it wasn't a judgement call. It was the ref not knowing the rules. He knew exactly what happened, he just didn't make the call. I'd agree that you shouldn't be able to review non penalties because of exactly what you said above. There is holding on virtually every play. But, the one exception to that should be this case since all turnovers are supposed to be reviewed and it's not a judgement call. When they review it and notice an obvious missed call like that, they should be able to change it, just like they can change the yard line or the ruling of a catch based on the circumstances of the catch. The penalty would be part of those circumstances, especially since it is a blatant night and day call, rather than a judgement call like PI or holding.
It should absolutely be reviewable when it is a clear lack of knowledge of the rules by the people paid to enforce them and the game should have been stopped by NY on the spot. They saw it and they knew the call should have been made.
