2016 AFC Divisional Playoff
Follow us here for rolling coverage of the calls and rules interpretations of the AFC Divisional Playoff game from Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo.
If you have any questions or comments, use the comments section of this post, or tweet us @footballzebras.
Today’s crew is headed by Carl Cheffers.
Yrs | 2016 crew | College | Occupation | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
R | 51 | Carl Cheffers | 17 | California-Irvine | high school principal | |
U | 64 | Dan Ferrell | 14 | Corrente | Cal State-Fullerton | internal auditor |
HL | 22 | Steve Stelljes | 15 | Morelli | Friends | teacher |
LJ | 45 | Jeff Seeman | 15 | Parry | Minnesota | corporate real estate |
FJ | 67 | Doug Rosenbaum | 16 | Morelli | Illinois Wesleyan | sports park director |
SJ | 7 | Keith Washington | 9 | Parry | Virginia Military Institute | manager, law firm |
BJ | 30 | Todd Prukop | 8 | Corrente | Cal State-Fullerton | sales |
- Replay: Tom Sifferman
- Alternates: John Hussey (R), Kevin Codey (LJ), Dale Shaw (FJ)
Refs missed an obvious PI on that last KC drive, as well as a block in the back on Artie Burns on the punt return.
The PF for a hit to the head of a defenseless receiver should never have occurred, the play clock reached 0 before the snap. A blown call that severely hurt the Steelers
If the NFL predetermined Cheffers would get the Super Bowl before the game, the whole notion of a official grading system is a sheer joke. I hated the call on the 2-point conversion, and I had no rooting interest but for a fair game. As Luke above mentioned, there were other missed calls, so why hand the Super Bowl to them? As for the referee grading system, has anyone actually seen it? Seriously, what does it look like and how do you know the officials were graded properly. Just wondering.
Couldn’t agree with Michael more. Obviously the officials grading system is a joke. I would imagine the good ol’ boy system is still in use. When is the multi-billion dollar NFL industry going to use full-time officials. Most of these guys are out of shape, don’t know the rules or enforcement thereof, or simply refuse to make calls. In the Dallas v Green Bay game today. How much of a jersey does a player have to have puled off of his pads before a DB is called for holding? In KC v Pittsburgh, watch all of the Steelers offensive plays & explain to me how a bear hug on a DL/LB is not holding. How is Pouncey’s ability to bulldog the LB around the head as Bell runs by not holding? Then a Super Bowl referee takes the tying points off the board at the end of the game with a holding call? I agree it was. But, it wasn’t the only one of the night yet it was the only one called. Where is the consistency in NFL officiating?
I agree with Kelce, Cheffers took the game away from KC. Obvious PI on Kelce early in the game goes uncalled. Seems they let Pittsburgh grab and hold and then had the audacity to call a hold on a two point conversion. Makes a man wonder about the NFL refs and the gambling aspect.
Ben,
Again you how lack of understanding of the rules. The sequence is ball hit ground so review not total comtrol but since…..
Learn the sequential thinking.
And just like super bowl last year you have 5 people and dont even mention biggest discrepancy in the game. The revolutionary delay calls when clock barely hit 0. Usually 2.5 seconds between 0 and flag today under half a second . 80% reduction in time.
This referee favoring the Pittsburgh Steelers has been going on for years. NFL is equal to so-called “pro-wrestling” – or the “globetrotters” – at least those 2 don’t PRETEND to be real. Again, NFL refs are a total joke and the NFL is a farce… I hope we all stop watching… will be the only thing that will make them change.
… and I totally agree with Mike and Casey. Pittsbug linemen held on just about every play. We saw several “bear hugs” that were not “seen” by the refs. But the ref had no problem quickly pulling out his yellow snot-rag
for the 2 point conversion! Yes that too was a hold, but we saw much worse holding by Pittsbug linemen go without any ref noticing throughout the whole game. NFL is a joke. I will go and watch a movie during the S-B this year – “set-up” bowl – is no longer a “SUPER” one.
steve
A bearhug is not the same as a takedown. A bearhug gets called if its at the point of attack and the defender is making an attempt to get to the ball carrier vs just ‘happy to be there’. A takedown will always get called. Just the way its being taught at all levels of officiating
I’m disappointed Gene is not getting the Super Bowl, just curious Ben, what were all the problems in the Sea/ Atl game that got his grade so low, compared to Cheffers.??. Personally, with no skin in the game, it was a clear hold on the 2 point play, sorry Chiefs fans..Corrents’s crew had a nightmare as well, a ton of DPI let go both ways, and the mis- marking of the unsportsmanlike penalty did not help crew.. Pete Morrelli, well enough said there.. Vinovich for sure , and ??? for the Conference Championship games.. Vinovich is another D1 BB official , normally works the West Coast leagues..
Super Bowl officials can lose their spot with a bad postseason game, but going into the Divisional Round the league knows who they want to assign. Gene could have a perfect Divisional Game, but if Carl Cheffers does not do anything to lose the nod, Gene won’t get the Super Bowl. The purpose of assigning Super Bowl officials to Divisional round is to avoid an official having a month off before the most important game. If the league limited the Super Bowl to the Divisional officials who graded the highest in that game only it defeats its purpose.
Sounds like you nailed it this time Michael! We all should know soon, today or tomorrow at the latest the word will ‘leak’ out
To many non calls affected the game not to mention that the clock was running when it shouldn’t have been late in fourth quarter. The PI’s were so blatant you’d have to be blind not to have seen them!!! Refs shouldn’t make only the calls they want it’s very clear who’s side they were on!!! I say fine them along with their so called grading system and I gurneetee their officiating will TREMENDOUSLY improve!!! They cheated KC out of a chance to maybe go to and win a super bowl and made horrible calls and no calls to other teams as well, they need some kind of consequence!!!
Steve gene is out over dez bryant incorrect assumption that ball hit ground in greenbay. Nfl cant have ref who cant understabd rules un super bowl.