The NFL has ruled, doing the only thing it could possibly do after its replacement refs botched a game-changing call on Monday Night Football.
Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson threw a pass into the end zone. Several players, including Seattle wide receiver Golden Tate and Green Bay safety M.D. Jennings, jumped into the air in an attempt to catch the ball.
While the ball is in the air, Tate can be seen shoving Green Bay cornerback Sam Shields to the ground. This should have been a penalty for offensive pass interference, which would have ended the game. It was not called and is not reviewable in instant replay.
When the players hit the ground in the end zone, the officials determined that both Tate and Jennings had possession of the ball. Under the rule for simultaneous catch, the ball belongs to Tate, the offensive player. The result of the play was a touchdown.
Replay Official Howard Slavin stopped the game for an instant replay review. The aspects of the play that were reviewable included if the ball hit the ground and who had possession of the ball. In the end zone, a ruling of a simultaneous catch is reviewable. That is not the case in the field of play, only in the end zone.
Referee Wayne Elliott determined that no indisputable visual evidence existed to overturn the call on the field, and as a result, the on-field ruling of touchdown stood. The NFL Officiating Department reviewed the video today and supports the decision not to overturn the on-field ruling following the instant replay review.
The result of the game is final.
The NFL really had no choice here. The replacement ref’s bad decision impacted more than just the outcome of one game. ESPN reported this morning that as much as $150 million may have changed hands as a result of that call thanks to gambling, fantasy football, etc. Liability is surely on the league’s mind at this point.
Officials and their bad calls change the outcome of sports all the time. In the English Premiere League over the weekend, Manchester United benefited from a howler of a call that gifted them with a penalty kick after a United player took an obvious dive. United made the kick and went on to defeat Liverpool 2-1. That call not only benefited MU and hurt the other clubs contending for the league title, but also kept Liverpool at the bottom of the league table and will come back to haunt them even if they get their season turned around. The officiating crew in that came were no replacements. They were regular league officials, and typical of regular refs in the EPL, ManU got the benefit of a call that other clubs would be unlikely to get. The week before that, officials robbed Everton of two goals against Newcastle, leaving the game drawn at 2-2 when Everton should have won it 4-2. That cost Everton two points in the standings and gifted Newcastle a point they did not deserve. Those were also regular league officials.
But the NFL has locked out its unionized officials over a contract dispute, and chosen to replace them with other officials, most of whom have no experience at all at the NFL level. The NFL has shown a cavalier attitude both to the quality of the officiating and to the safety issues that have arisen. It has also made a laughingstock of itself, with even Hall of Famers like Troy Aikman and Steve Young trashing the league for letting things get to this point. Last night, social media exploded with fans of both teams and no team in particular blasting the NFL. Full disclosure for myself: I’m a Cowboys fan so I don’t like either team that played in Monday night’s game, and had just about fallen asleep from boredom when that play happened. It shocked me awake enough to write about it at midnight. The league is on the hook for this call in ways it never has been before, because of its tactics in the labor dispute.
The whole replacement refs episode has tarnished the NFL’s reputation, and brought up affirmative action and other issues quite outside football. It’s a big mess in a highly litigious culture, and league’s lawyers likely advised the league that it had to uphold the Seattle decision in order to limit potential lawsuits. Once the calls were made on the field, there was no way to undo them. But someone somewhere who lost big is still going to test the league with a lawsuit.
I agree with the NFL on this one. The way the rule is written, if the offensive player gets his hand on the ball before the defensive player secures it, and he maintains some control of the ball, then the ball belongs to the offensive player. I have wanted to see this rule changed for years so the offensive player must have at least as much control of the ball as the defensive player in order to be given the reception. Many refs call it that way anyway, but that isn’t the way it is written. Sadly, it isn’t likely to be changed since everyone is more worried about the refs (who did miss that obvious pass interference).
And maybe I’m also not so upset because I’m more of a college football fan and we are used to seeing bad officiating, or maybe it’s because I recall the real refs not being that perfect either.
The White House is still denying this was a terrorist attack.
I’m waiting for Hollywood to drag Keanu Reeves out to make The Replacements II: Bad Calls.
The NFL’s decision to uphold the decision is no surprise. To overturn the decision would be to admit the league is wrong and that they will not do. The affirmative action supporters should be happy. We now have refs that look like America.
@Cliff, you are misinformed sir… That is Not how the rule is written; the rule states if both players gain POSSESSION simultaneously, it goes to the passer…. A hand on the ball is far from possession. If that were the case, players would be credited with catches and interceptions all the time for simply getting a hand on the ball… Jennings had the ball pressed securely against his chest and his knee came down inbounds… Ray Charles could see that….
I think it was the right call. Refs miss penalties all the time, so you can’t fault them there. It’s only more obvious now because of the level of scrutinizing these officials are under. Tate and Jennings came down with possession and the pass wasn’t incomplete. The ruling was touchdown and you certainly can’t overturn it based on the interpretation of who gets credit for the simultaneous catch. If they’d flagged Tate for the shove, there would have been outrage that a game ending big play was ended by a flag.
Angry Packers fans should direct it toward Jennings, who had the jump on everyone and could have easily knocked the ball down to end the game.
The only thing these officials are bad about is just killing the flow of the game. Much more often than not, they end up getting the call right when it’s reviewable, but it just takes so long. They’ll be pros by Week 10, though. The regular refs better hope it ends by the time these guys get more efficient.
I think the press loves the Packers more than they love Obama. Give it break. They played bad and they lost. Blaming the referees for a bad game is the oldest trick in the book.
You need to actually watch the video.
They’re never going to overturn it the next day. MLB didn’t overturn Jim Joyce’s blown safe call that cost Armando Galaragga a perfect game. On a routine call.
[i]Referee Wayne Elliott determined that no indisputable visual evidence existed to overturn the call on the field[/i]
It was right there on the live broadcast. Millions of people saw it.
Listen to us! Don’t believe your own lying eyes!