Football Zebras.com

Saints at Seahawks

Walt Coleman is the referee, heading up Terry McAulay’s crew.

First half. No replay reviews. Saints have 4 penalties for 18 yards, Seahawks 3/14, no penalties declined.

Hasselblock in the back? Credit: NFL/NBC Sports

4th Quarter, 3:38 remaining. On the amazing touchdown run by Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch, did quarterback Matt Hasselbeck throw an illegal block in the back? No penalty was called, likely because the officials determined the Saints defender wasn’t knocked over (he, instead, dove for Lynch) or otherwise disadvantaged (video, after Lynch passes the 30-yard line).

4th Quarter, 1:34 remaining. In spite of help from behind, Saints running back DeShawn Wynn failed on his two-point conversion attempt (video, forward to 9:01). With a boost from a lineman Jermon Bushrod to keep Wynn on his feet, if the conversion scored, it would have been nullified by an assisting-the-runner penalty. From the rulebook, Rule 12, Section 1, Article 5:

No offensive player may … lift a runner to his feet or pull him in any direction at any time.

Had there been a score, it would have been a re-try from the 12-yard line.

Final. Not a busy night at all for replay official Earnie Frantz. No challenges, no replays for the entire game, and nothing that he missed in the last two minutes that was worthy of a review. Easy money.

Jets at Colts

Gene Steratore is the referee.

1st Quarter, 13:29. No challenges in Game 1 of the doubleheader; first challenge in the first two minutes of the second one. Colts coach Jim Caldwell challenged whether Jets punt returner Santonio Holmes was the first player to touch a punted ball. Holmes was oddly hovering over the rolling ball, because if he touched it, even accidentally, it would have made a live ball, which the Colts would have recovered. Steratore upheld the play on the field that the ball was first touched by the Colts.

2nd Quarter, 8:21 remaining. A punt to the goal line appeared to be saved from a sure touchback by the Jets, but field judge Terry Brown, side judge Michael Banks, and back judge Greg Steed conferenced at length at the goal line before ruling touchback. Replay showed that the Jets coverage player put his right hand on the goal line, making the ball “in” the end zone by extension.

End of first half. Other than the replay called in the opening minutes of the first quarter, no other replays were called for. Jets have been penalized 3 times for 15 yards; the Colts have not been penalized.

4th Quarter, :40 remaining. A catch by Jets receiver Braylon Edwards with a fumble and self-recovery was reviewed. Steratore said that Edwards completed the catch with the third foot down, followed then by the fumble.

The NFL announced, through Adam Schefter’s blog, that Steelers’ receiver Santonio Holmes was fined $10,000 for his end-zone celebration by using the ball as a prop. The celebration came on the game-winning touchdown of Super Bowl XLIII.

Vice-president of officiating Mike Pereira acknowledged on the NFL Network after the Super Bowl that the celebration should have been flagged, causing the Steelers to kick off from its 15 yard line on the ensuing kickoff. Pereira clearly pointed to the fact that field judge Greg Gautreaux watched the celebration at length until he had to set for the point-after-touchdown try.

Had the celebration been flagged, yes, it could’ve changed the complexion of the final Cardinals drive. Schefter says that the Cardinals could have used those 15 yards, and that future replays should show the fact that, in his estimation, the officials blew the call. Pretty assertive on a page with nfl.com in the URL.

However, this fails in two areas. First, the official watched the play for any unsportsmanlike conduct following the touchdown. He did have to shift his focus to the extra-point try, as the 40-second clock was already ticking. Gautreaux did exactly what he is supposed to do. Second, games are won on the field, not by the officials. Remember, the Steelers recovered from the safety-by-penalty and the Cardinals go-ahead touchdown by mounting their own game-winning drive. That is what the record should show.

Mike Pereira, the NFL vice president of officiating, conducted his last “Official Review” segment (video) of the season on the NFL Network today. Periera is retiring at the conclusion of next season.

Pereira did acknowledge the controversy about not having Kurt Warner’s fumble on the last play reviewed:

Looking back at it now after the fact, you know, it was close enough, although it wouldn’t have changed anything whatsoever. … Had [replay official Bob McGrath] stopped it, it would’ve stayed a fumble. But, again, looking at it, at that big of a play at the end of the game, I would’ve sent it down and given [head referee Terry] McAulay a chance to look at it. …

You learn and … next time it happens, at this point of the game, this big of a play, let’s go ahead and [call for a replay review].

Pereira stated that McAulay had a chance to see the play after the game and concurred that the ruling would stand. The ruling on the play was that, although Warner had the ball in his hand while it was moving forward, he did not have control of it. I don’t think that will be enough to satisfy conspiracy theorists.

However, it appears the replay guidelines will be amended to state controversial calls at pivotal points in the game will get a review.

Also in the segment, Pereira backed up the assessment we had on James Harrison’s interception return. He also said that Santonio Holmes’ celebration on the game-winning touchdown should have been penalized, but since it happened so long after the play, the officials’ attention was to set up for the point-after attempt.