You know, for all the discussions by certain segments of the internetosphere that the NFL is anti-Patriots, the Ravens would like to take this opportunity to strongly object. ESPN.com's Mike Sando had the great pleasure of being in Baltimore's locker room after the game and here's some of what he heard:
[Terrell] Suggs on officiating: "It's kind of the feeling of the 2001 tuck rule. It kind of feels like the tuck rule. That is the NFL for you, man. When they got a guy like that that is selling a lot of tickets, you want to keep him selling tickets."It's worth pointing out that T. Sizzle didn't do jack against Matt Light all night, and Mason was the guy mugging two Patriots defenders on the last second Hail Mary hauled in by Mark Clayton.
[Derrick] Mason on officiating: "I'm going to take it back to last game. San Diego. Quinn Sypniewski runs down the field, runs into one of their DBs, we catch the ball and they call offensive pass interference. OK. Great. This game, same things happens. Randy Moss runs right into Samari Rolle. They call defensive pass interference. I don't understand that. One game it's called one way, the next game it's called another way. At the end, you have a phantom call. That's why it's hard to play and win a game when you are playing against more than just the best team in the NFL."
Whatever, none of that takes away from the fact that the Ravens feel they were slighted. Was the officiating suspect? Sure. But isn't it always? Baltimore had plenty of opportunities to win the game, and while the defensive holding call on the Patriots' last drive was an eyebrow-raiser, it didn't have to come to that. I'm sure that won't slow up all the conspiracy talk, though.
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 2)
1. I strike again!!!!!!
You are safe NO WHERE!!!! I'll do everything in my power to win!
Some people call me classless, a cheater, unsportsmanlike, a dirty rat hiding underneath my hoodie! But i tell you, it is better to reign in hell than to serve in heaven!
Come one come all, for my greatest trick is making you all believe that my cheating ways don't exist!
Posted at 3:15AM on Dec 4th 2007 by Bill Belicheat
2. There is nothing more disgusting than the Ravens' "the whole world is against us" act.
There is a legitimate point to be made; that the current rules are too subjective and leave too much up to the interpretation of the refs. Since "the refs" aren't a monolith, but a large group of individuals with their own interpretations, that means the rules aren't the same for every game. But only idiot fans (and the Ravens) think that the league favors one team over another.
The answer is to simplify the rules and make them more objective:
Intentional grounding - Eliminate it. The NFL wants to protect QBs anyway, and you're already penalized by throwing an incomplete pass and wasting a down.
Tuck rule/'empty hand' - Here's how to make that call easier: if the ball is in the QB's hand when he gets hit, it's a fumble. If it's not, then it's an incompletion.
Two feet inbounds - Make it one foot for a completion and eliminate a bunch of replays. That change leads into...
Push-outs - Gone. If the receiver is pushed and doesn't get one foot inbounds, then the pass is incomplete.
Obviously things like holding and pass interference are always going to be subjective, but even the few improvements I listed would cut down on a lot of disputed calls.
Posted at 4:02AM on Dec 4th 2007 by Marc Nelson Jr.
3. Well i don't think the whole Ravens organization is cry that everyone is out to get them. Especially when there were so many bad calls this game!
All rules should be the same for every game!!! Yes interpretation limits that but that is an issue the leagues needs to fix! Plus you can probably find something wrong/penalty on every play if you look hard enough!
No i think intentional grounding is a good one! A QB shouldn't just be aloud to throw the ball anywhere to avoid a sack! That's kind of stupid and takes away a fair play from the defense! That's kind of asinine!!!!!! That means the defense is penalized for making a good play on the offensive line to get to the QB!
I'll agree with you on the Tuck Rule. That's probably the most BS rule out there!!!!!! It also takes away from a good defensive play and it really doesn't help protect the QB besides his stats!
Where not in college here so keep it 2 feet in bounds. I like the push out rule! The push out rule makes the playing field a bit fair. Being pushed out is almost like pass interference. - Meaning just like pass interference, he would have came down with the ball if he wasn't interfered with.
This is why i highly doubt your suggestions will improve the game! If anything it will make it more controversial!
Posted at 4:56AM on Dec 4th 2007 by Jason
4. I'm not saying I think there was a problem with the officiating at the end of the game or not, but I do think the NFL has a major problem with the appearance of a conflict of interest.
The NFL employees the officials. The NFL also owns the NFL Network. Its in the NFL's best interest that the Pats make it to 15-0 so they can try for 16-0 in their last game of the season, which is airing on the NFL Network, since they need to keep putting pressure on cable companies. So the appearance of a conflict of interest is there.
Posted at 5:28AM on Dec 4th 2007 by Mike52585
5. the refs control the destiny for the pATRIOTS!!!THEY ARE DEFINITELIY LINING THEIR POCKETS. AS A HIGH SCHOOL OFFICIAL, I WOULD GET HUNG FOR MAKING SOME OF THE CALLS THEY MAKE. DON'T THEY EVER GET EMBARRESSED???
Posted at 6:15AM on Dec 4th 2007 by BILL DUNN
6. What tears me up about this game is that last false start call. The Ravens already blew one opportunity to win by calling a timeout on their first fourth down stop, but then the Patriots get another chance because they commit a false start. Does this seem a little unfair to anyone else. I think something should be done about the false start rule to address these types of situations. That is, with the game on the line like that, how can you reward a team for committing a penalty?
Posted at 6:27AM on Dec 4th 2007 by Benjamin
7. The Ravens could have won that game despite the refs were it not for their own coaching staff working against them. I'm so disappointed that they lost, but the stupid 'psych-out timeouts' have got to stop! In this case, Rex Ryan managed to screw his own D, give the Pats a chance to keep their drive alive, and waste a timeout they desperately needed at the end of the game. I hope it just eats at him, knowing that his dumb attempt at being clever blew the game.
Posted at 7:02AM on Dec 4th 2007 by Celeste
8. PATS FAVORED BY 19 POINTS ?...JIMMY THE GREEK must
be rolling in his grave with laughter>>bettors take
heed EAGLES..RAVENS...next is the JETS to beat the
oddsmakers.
http://day-tripper.zlioliday.com
Posted at 7:08AM on Dec 4th 2007 by johnnypinstripes
9. The Pats aren't perfect. The game's not perfect either. The Patriots should be 11-2 right now. The Eagles imploded, and the refs handed the victory over the Ravens to New England.
Fire the refs... Put an asterisk next to the Patriots record... Suspend Bellechek for 2 games for his blatent disregard for the policies and regulations of the NFL. Make New England play all their games in Canada...
Champions? A team of destiny? NOT
Posted at 7:40AM on Dec 4th 2007 by O\\\'B
10. Come on... New England isn't all that. Baltimore didn't lose that game, and New England didn't beat the Ravens. The refs beat the Ravens, and that is sad. Sure, Brian Billick is an a$$hole for that time-out when his defense would have won the game if he wasn't such a schmuck, not trusting his professional players.
Don Shula, take heart... In the past three weeks, New England's aura of invincibility has been cracked. Unlike prior to the Indianapolis game, the Patriots do look beatable. They should have two losses right now. They didn't beat the Eagles, the Eagles beat themselves. They didn't beat the Ravens, the refs handed them an early Christmas present. Well, New England... look at your schedule.
You've got Pittsburgh coming up, and they really don't like you all that much. Additionally, Pittsburgh will be in the playoffs, and they'd like nothing more than to beat you now, to put a little fear and intimidation into your cold hearts. Then, you've got the Giants to deal with at the end of the season. Hey, we all know how Coughlin likes to choke after Halloween, but, Jackobs will be back. Unfortunately, for New York fans, so will Manning.
So New England, it's not inevitable that you're going to have a perfect season. There are storms on the horizon, and don't be suprised when you walk off that field one day on the short end of the stick.
It's inevitable.
O'B
Posted at 7:51AM on Dec 4th 2007 by O'B
11. What's inevitable sucka is that you can't prove how we cheat! All this crying and bitching is like music to my ears!
These rings you say that are tainted, well they sparkle nicely on my fingers now don't they. :)~
We are so good that we like to screw with the spread and let you think we are beatable. Bring on Pittsburgh we'll crush them like have for years.
Posted at 7:56AM on Dec 4th 2007 by Bill Belicheat
12. You people are unbelievable, honestly. Any rational human being who watched that last 4th-and-6 with the holding call could tell that Watson was ridden for a good five yards into the endzone. To call it an eyebrow raiser is ridiculous. People are so conditioned to assume calls are bs that they moan and groan even when the refs get it right. It's a sad commentary.
Posted at 8:15AM on Dec 4th 2007 by Brett
13. Ok, so what's the excuse for the other seven losses?
Posted at 8:40AM on Dec 4th 2007 by A.C
14. THE WAY THAT GAME WAS CALLED WAS A JOKE.ANYONE THAT CAN SEE KNOWS SOMTHING FISHY IS HERE.19-0 *****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
Posted at 8:56AM on Dec 4th 2007 by NO72PHINS
15. Sports fans know about the basketball referees betting on games, shaving points, and making calls to throw the games.
Well, it's time to check out the bank accounts of those referees who officiated the Patriots-Ravens game. It wouldn't be surprising to see that a few of them got some anonymous sums of money put in their accounts. Hell, money might be traced back to Belichek. He's so arrogant, smug, and egomaniacal that he'd blatently transfer the money from one of his slush funds right into the bank account of a couple of referees.
Racketeering and corruption in the NFL??? Say it isn't so... Put your head in the sand, and pretend it's just night time...
O'B
Posted at 9:38AM on Dec 4th 2007 by Chris
16. To posts # 1 and # 11 by "Bill Belicheat":
I loved your clever posts!!! That is exactly how I feel and have felt since "Spygate". If a team is going to break the reputable '72 Dolphins record, I sure as heck don't want it to be a classless and cheating team!!
It appears since robot Brady's interview on the Boston radio station where he said they would "kill" every team if they could (running up the score), they have had a problem doing that against 2 teams with subpar records ;)
I am a firm believer in "what goes around, comes around", and I sure hope I get to see it this season!
Brenda
Posted at 10:26AM on Dec 4th 2007 by brenda mcconnell
17. CHEATING DOES NOT = PERFECT.CHEATING SHOULD = JAIL TIME.
Posted at 10:55AM on Dec 4th 2007 by ACHUBBGO16
18. Wow... did any of you actually watcht he entire game or only the last 8 minutes?The entire game the Ravens defense was all over our receivers and they never got one call for it, to that point that on one play, one of their guys punched Randy Moss in the face while he went for a ball and nothing! Did you notices that the Pats had to try to run the ball alot tonight or that the person with the most receiving yards was our running back? This is because Tom Brady had no one to throw to because they were clobbering us! Then finally in the last 8 minutes the refs finally got their head on straight and started calling tings right! You non Patriots fans are so biased its ridiculous. And to call that Holding call sketchy is ridiculous if you watch that play it shouls ahve been pass interference but the refs actually gave them the lesser call! I'm not saying the Pats were perfect. Their defense played terrible and the O line was almost non existent but to say the refs favored the Pats is alarming.
Posted at 11:13AM on Dec 4th 2007 by creamer313
19. I'm not a Patriots fan, my loyalty lies elsewhere. I think that many of those that say that the Patriots don't deserve the praise they are receiving this season are jealous, spiteful or just can't stand to see someone be successful without attempting to drag them down. Why can't people say "I don't like them, but boy are they playing some great football this year." A team cannot play at this level without talent. Do the people screaming "Cheaters!" really believe this is the only reason New England is winning games?
Having watched the entire game last night, I am disappointed in the Ravens' behavior. I understand that emotions and adrenaline were running very high through the entire game, but throwing temper tantrums on the field is just poor sportsmanship. Following that display with accusations that the Patriots/NFL have the Refs on the payroll is deplorable. If I accused a co-worker of something like that, I would likely be fired and sued for defamation of character.
The Ravens had every reason to walk off that field with their heads held high and be very proud of the amazing offensive and defensive game they played. If they had played all of their games like this they would be sporting a much better win loss record this year! By crying foul and making accusations, the Ravens have thrown away the respect they earned on the field. They should be ashamed of themselves.
As far as the Patriots being rewarded for the false start penalty - would you still feel that way if they had scored 6 on that play and had it called back for the false start?
Any activity that involves humans making judgements to either score or officiate a sport or activity will ALWAYS be open to error, speculation, and controversy. If it bothers you that much, maybe you should give up watching football and give knitting a try.
Posted at 11:13AM on Dec 4th 2007 by PS
20. I'm not a Patriots fan, my loyalty lies elsewhere. I think that many of those that say that the Patriots don't deserve the praise they are receiving this season are jealous, spiteful or just can't stand to see someone be successful without attempting to drag them down. Why can't people say "I don't like them, but boy are they playing some great football this year." A team cannot play at this level without talent. Do the people screaming "Cheaters!" really believe this is the only reason New England is winning games?
Having watched the entire game last night, I am disappointed in the Ravens' behavior. I understand that emotions and adrenaline were running very high through the entire game, but throwing temper tantrums on the field is just poor sportsmanship. Following that display with accusations that the Patriots/NFL have the Refs on the payroll is deplorable. If I accused a co-worker of something like that, I would likely be fired and sued for defamation of character.
The Ravens had every reason to walk off that field with their heads held high and be very proud of the amazing offensive and defensive game they played. If they had played all of their games like this they would be sporting a much better win loss record this year! By crying foul and making accusations, the Ravens have thrown away the respect they earned on the field. They should be ashamed of themselves.
As far as the Patriots being rewarded for the false start penalty - would you still feel that way if they had scored 6 on that play and had it called back for the false start?
Any activity that involves humans making judgements to either score or officiate a sport or activity will ALWAYS be open to error, speculation, and controversy. If it bothers you that much, maybe you should give up watching football and give knitting a try.
Posted at 11:20AM on Dec 4th 2007 by PS