GB played a good game, but the Cowboys would have likely won but for an egregious overrule of a miraculous catch by Dez Bryant. Most of you have seen the video and know the rationale for overturning the call on the field of a valid catch. I say if you ask 100 football fans if that was a ctach and 99 of them whoa re not GB fans say yes, not only was it a catch but it was a great catch. Bryant took three clear steps then lunged for the goal line. Even then the replay video was unclear if the ball moved because of contact with the ground or if his arm hit the ground. A reversal is supposed to require indisputable evidence, a concept most of the league's officials clearly still do not understand. In an odd coincidence, the game's head ref was Gene Stenatore, who also headed the crew that took away a game winning TD catch from Calvin Johnson a couple of years ago. So at least this moron is consistent. NFL officiating is beginning to make the NBA refs look good.
Agree that the NFL refs have been awful this postseason (again). However the more I watch that play, the more I don't think it was a catch. AND, that being said, Rodgers absolutely shredded the Dallas D in the second half. Even if Dallas scores there AND gets the two point conversion to go up 3, I still like Rodgers chances with 4 minutes left to punch in a TD for the win.
Clearly not a catch by the rule book. We have seen this call before and they shouldn't make exceptions for Dallas. If Tony Romo wasn't a lousy quarterback he wouldn't have thrown a duck and the catch would have been much easier. There is a reason Tony Romo always seems to lose when it counts. Since we are playing the what-if game, how about we ask 'what if Rodgers wasn't hurt'? He was clearly injured and a shell of his normal self. Cowboys had this game given to them on a silver platter and they blew it and have nobody to blame but themselves. If Rodgers is healthy the game would have been 45-17.
I thought they were reviewing if it was a TD or Not. incredible that I soon learned that it wasnt a catch at all. The game shouldnt come down to one call though, you need to make sure of that as a team. peace
I seem to recall a certain flag getting picked up, recently, which favored the Cowboys and made others roar like a Lion.
We can debate the call from the Lions game. It could have gone either way. I understand the rule on what constitutes a catch, but I think the refs misapplied it. The guy took two or three steps and lunged for the goal line. The refs clearly are making some terrible calls on what constitutes a catch and also on pass interference. One game they allow a lot of contact downfield. Another game if the Db touches the receiver, he gets flagged. I am willing to bet the bottom feeder teams gets hosed a lot on this. The refs don't cut them any slack, but allow the elite teams to get away with a lot. The PI rule needs to be modified. Maybe change it to call incidental PI and make it a 10 yard penalty. Deliberate PI would remain spot of foul. It's unfair to hit a team for a 30 or 40 yard penalty for a slight bump. The catch rule is tougher to address. The problem is it requires judgment and the refs clearly are lacking that. I hate to see a guy make a terrific, athletic play and get it taken away on a dubious application of the rule. I also think the replay situation is out of hand. There should be a one minute time limit. If you can't see it was wrongly called in one minute, then it is not clearly indisuptable. The refs take forever because they want to make the right call, but that was not the point of replay. it was to address egregious errors, not finetune every close call.
AAA, At first I saw it as you do, but the refs applied the rule correctly...he has to maintain control all the way through the catch. The ball came loose once he hit the ground...he did not maintain control. I agree its a bad rule.