We will update this post with some of the key calls from Week 2. See something that needs our attention? Hit us in the comments section of this post or tweet us @footballzebras.
See this post for the referee assignments we have confirmed.
Broncos at Falcons
5:27 of the first quarter. Good reversal of the pass interference. The ball was tipped.
Since we don’t have the “Official Review” on NFL Network anymore, Fox Sports rules analyst Mike Pereira provides the video review. The missed called were numerous, but he singled out:
- Rams challenge of a fumble (that is up to the replay official and a 15-yard penalty if the coach tries to challenge)
- A chop block called against the Seahawks (this particular play is legal in the NFL, illegal in college)
Ravens at Eagles
DeSean Jackson of the Eagles and Cary Williams of the Ravens get into a scrap. The officials did a pretty good job of breaking it up. Jackson continues to jaw at the Ravens’ bench after the confrontation and an official should have gotten him out of there sooner; however a when these events break out it is sometimes hard to keep track of things (video).
Lions at 49ers
Apparently, there is an outbreak today of pass interference calls that are completely nonexistent. The 49ers got dinged in the first quarter, despite very slight inconsequential contact (video).
Redskins at Rams
Josh Morgan of the Washington Redskins costs his team with a silly unsportsmanlike foul. His foul forced the Redskins to try a 62-yard field goal in order to tie, instead of a 47-yard field goal. Kudos to the official for throwing the flag and making the right call. As an official you can’t think about game ramifications, you have to call what you see. He could have turned a blind eye but did not. (video)
Jets at Steelers
After watching that video, it was a phantom DPI call in the Steelers-Jets game. There was no advantage gained by the defender.
Jets at Steelers
Generally judgement calls are outside of my scope of coverage, so I like to stay out of pass interference and holding calls. But when an interference penalty is called, it does require some kind of contact. In a fourth quarter call, Steelers defensive back was called on Ike Taylor, despite textbook coverage where there wasn’t even a hint of contact on the receiver.
Update: Video available
Redskins at Rams
Titans coach Jeff Fisher challenged a fumble call on a turnover by running back Steven Jackson. The new rule this season is that turnovers are not subject to coach’s challenges — only the replay booth can initiate a challenge on a turnover. Unfortunately for the Rams, when a coach initiates a challenge on a play he’s not permitted to challenge, it is a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
Fortunately for Fisher and the Rams, the replacement referees did not assess the 15-yard penalty as required. This is not a judgement call; it is a clear misapplication of the rules.
Buccaneers at Giants
Referee Jim Core is officiating his second Giants game in two weeks (technically, 11 days, but two football weeks). Generally, there is a gap of a month before an official repeats the same team. Since Core was a substitution on the crew assigned to the first week Giants game, this is probably how this happened, but usually the league is more aware (particularly at the more visible head referee position). Both games were Giants home games.
Monday, Jan. 28 at 10:17 a.m. on
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thank you
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Jets v. Steelers, Steelers fumble was not called, Jets challenge, refs uphold ruling on the field… even though it was clearly a fumble, and even though the ball carrier’s knee had touched the ground well before the fumble. So instead of ruling it a fumble, which it was, it should have been ruled that the ball carrier was down when his knee had touched, earlier in the play? How can these guys LOOK at the video and “miss” 2 rulings that are clear on the video, that they missed on the field?
It’s ridiculous when the refs get to use video to determine if they made the correct call, and STILL get it wrong.
But then again, even the regular NFL refs using replays during a challenge refuse to overturn their calls on a regular basis. Even when it’s clear to the world that a call should be overturned. Is it ego or something more sinister?
There’s something fishy in the NFL, and there has been for a long time.
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Have you looked into one of the last call of the game in the tamp vs ny game, where on the last buccaneer drive there was a call called complete pass, then the receiver steps out of bounds and loses the ball. I was wondering what your thoughts were on that.
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@Christian, under the rules for the “process of the catch” Williams did not have the ball secure long enough after the second foot came down. The hit by the cornerback is irrelevant. Therefore it was correctly overturned as incomplete pass.