Let’s give the Patriots credit begrudgingly; they are obviously a strong team. But when the refs help, combined with ludicrous coaching strategies that Andy Reid tried, the result was easy to predict.
I know the non-call in the Saints-Rams game was bad, but I feel the blown call on the Tom Brady “roughing the passer” was an even worse call. Here’s a quick review: https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/for-petes-sake/article224848750.html
When CBS brought in their former ref/rules analyst, he clearly stated this was the wrong call. The referee, who was standing 10 yards BEHIND Brady, “assumed” the defender hit him in the head. He threw the flag, and that was pretty much it. An incompletion and then shoulda been punt instead turned into a Pats first down. All because the ref thought he saw something. He thought he saw somebody touch the NFL Poster Boy, and as we all know, that is against the rules. It helped give the game to New England. An atrocious phantom call.
At least on the Saints non-call, the refs can call it a judgment. Their judgment was wrong, but at least they saw the hit and decided it was clean. In Brady’s case, there was no hit at all.
The muffed punt was another bad call. There simply was NOT enough visual evidence to overturn. The rules do not allow for “sorta-kinda looks like maybe…” No, the rules state that an overturn must be undeniable obvious evidence. Apparently, when you play the Patriots, Julian Edelman saying “I never touched it” counts as proof. The ruling on the field must stand until proven otherwise.
Now let’s discuss Andy Reid’s decision(s) to give Brady all day to pass. As reader AJ correctly noted, “It doesn’t matter if your D has 20 guys in coverage, if Brady has time, someone will get open ! Always !” This is true. Dropping 7 back to cover everyone does not work. Dropping 8 men back to cover everyone does not work. The Chiefs gambled all day long–with zero adjustments ever–that their allegedly good pass rush would get to Brady. They never did. Came close once or twice. Touched him once or twice. But that was it. The Chiefs made it easy on the Pats’ linemen by rushing the same schemes all day long. The Chief D-line was exhausted by the 2nd quarter. The entire Chiefs D only forced 2 punts. Two!
Why blitz the QB when you can give up 37 points instead?? Way to go Andy Reid, you fat piece of of garbage.
How about our new Head Coach? The Defense he was in charge of gave up 31 points in one half! Hell, we might as well keep Matt Burke!
The officiating in the NFL is atrocious and not just yesterday but for years.I’ve been saying it forever. At least replay gives teams a chance to fix their bad calls. The majority are elderly,like me. That needs to change. 2 bad calls, 1 in each game,changed the SB participants. I know the Saints have every reason to be pissed. Having a token female as a line judge or whatever lame position they put her in is a joke.Are you telling me she is better than every male candidate? No,she checks a box for the NFL.
Next,why didn’t KC use all of their timeouts to stop the momentum of the final drive? No words to describe. Yet another abject failure for Andy Reed.
Suh and Donald will stop the Pats running game and their pass rush is far better then the Chiefs pass rush. Ms. Brady won’t have all day to throw the ball.
I like the Rams straight up,regardless of point spread.
Honestly IMO yesterday will go down as one of the worst days for the NFL in a long time. The refs clearly favored the pats down the stretch but Brady was amazing I would say it was 20% refs 80% brady. But the chiefs did blow it by lining up like a yard offsides that was so stupid you can’t say the refs blew it for them, #55 did.
But the Saints game is another story. Go back and watch that again not only was it pass interference but it was also helmet to helmet and at least 3 officials had a clear line of sight on the play! How 3 officals that the NFL deemed good enough to officiate a championship game can all you miss that at the same time screams rigged to me. I’ve never seen such a bad call in my life and honestly for the first time I’m questioning whether this league is legit or not. It does help the NFL a lot to get LA in the super bowl since it’s a huge media market and they have been struggling to get a large share of it.
They also need to justify their golden child coach McVay, get him to the super bowl so all the teams that hired “offensive geniuses” can feel good about themselves. Now it’s the old guard vs the new guard, a battle for the soul of the NFL! Of course it’s rigged, this game is worth too much money
Yea it’s pathetic for the first time in as long as I can remember I have no desire to watch the super bowl, two teams that flat out dont belong there. The pats because of dumb luck (looking at you Dee Ford) and the Rams because the NFL is rigged.
If I’m Dee Ford, I’m calling the FBI to get my dumb ass in the witness protection plan ASAP. I don’t see how this guy can continue living in KC after one of the dumbest, more egregious acts of self-sabotage you will ever see to prevent your team from going to the Super Bowl for the 1st time in 49 years.
Being a Dolfan is generally a miserable experience…especially since Mr. Magoo bought the team. But I’m glad I’m not a Chiefs fan today.
The most basic thing they teach kids when the play football for the 1st time is how to line up. It’s not like Ford was drawn offsides on a hard count (which would have been somewhat understandable), this moron lines up offsides on a play that would have ended the game (interception for Chiefs). It’s as simple as that. If he lines up correctly and just stands there without moving, KC is in the Super Bowl since the interception was on the other side of the field.
The Patriot Refs got off Scott free because the rest of the world is focused on the Saints refs. The favoritism toward the Pats will go unnoticed because the NFL Universe is far more vocal about the Rams play.
Seriously, the Chief defense literally touched Tom Brady. He got touched, and he STILL got the call. Let’s hear an explanation for that one.
Admin a few things…..
Yes I did have to go to the store to get cuban bread for my wife during the game…… Yes I got the wrong bread and than had to go back out…. to 5 stores before I found the right bread
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BUT
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When I got back with the correct bread and put my marriage back in order I was still early enough to see the “Roughing the Passer” call that was the lamest RTP call of the year.
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However, there is no way that missed call was worse than the one in the Rams / Saints game. Here’s why……. If the Saints got that call which CLEARLY they should have the unequivocally win the game.
If that Patriots don’t get the call and than hold the Chiefs on the next series (Which they did on the last one) they get the ball back with about 60 seconds to drive the field. I would take Brady on that the way the old guy was playing yesterday.
Also Admin the way the flags have been flying all year when the QB is touched it’s not so hard to believe a bad call like that when it’s called but the PI in the Rams game would have been called all year long I mean he literally tackled the guy, targeting his head long before the ball was there, slow motion replay or game speed it was clear to see.
Also give some props to Brady and NE they played their asses off…… man I can’t remember they days the Dolphins had the mental toughness to play a game like NE / KC what a great game.
Well, I’m thinking about both of those calls in the context of proposed rules changes. For a pass interference call, they’ll be back to 57 things that need to be taken into account upon review. Was the ball catchable? Did the defender touch him too early. Did the WR touch the defender first? At the same time? Does the defender HAVE TO look for the ball? etc etc.
Granted, in the Saints-Rams game, it was obvious, and the penalty would have been called upon review. But in 95% of other cases, that review process will be slow, tedious, and complex. PLUS…even with the review system in place, there will still be cases where the written rule won’t allow for something or other, and then they have to say “The ruling on the field stands, because we’re not allowed to go back and consider something-or-other.” It’s gonna be a mess!
However, compare that to the simplicity of what I’m saying. The referee claims Tom Brady got hit late and got hit in the head. Replay shows, clearly and undeniably, that neither of those things happened. I my system, the Penalty flag is picked up, referee suspended for rest of season, and game continues.
By the way, one of the reasons I’m most adamant about those kinds of head shots: A few years ago, I saw Sam Bradford get dragged down by his facemask, but the refs all missed it. He pleaded to no avail. I couldn’t believe my eyes. Right away, I thought It would be so so easy to make that a reviewable play. It would take the replay officials about 2 seconds to see the facemask and throw the flag. So easy to review, and yet the NFL always states that it’s a judgment call. You don’t have to judge facts. Just look at them.
If you feel you hit Tom Brady in the shoulder but the ref claims you hit him in the head, then challenge it. If you’re right, then the flag is picked up and ref suspended. If you’re wrong, it’s a 30-yard penalty. THAT will keep players from fake-protesting calls.
Yes I agree 100% with what your saying in relation to reviews and I would give each team 3 challenge flags. I think that would be great. You could even put a 60 second cap on the review for PI and RTP because it should be obvious one way or the other if it isn’t then play on.
You have to be able to review most of these calls it’s ridiculous notnot to especially PI since it can be a huge play sometimes more than 40 yards. I’d simply limit the challenges to 2 right or wrong. Every coach will most likely save one fearing the saints result in the last minute. This would eliminate the ridiculous challenges that waste time early in the game. Let’s don’t make these challenges out to be so timely it’s the idiots in New York who take their time. If you can’t figure it out in a few minutes let the call stand. Maybe add an extra minute in playoffs. Most of us make the right call from home in seconds…
I don’t hate the current OT but why not give each team a shot on offence. Heaven forbid we see more white nuckle football in the playoffs. Skip the coin toss let the higher seed get to choose to kick or receive as they earned it. Either way they should do that. Forces the lower seed to push it more in regular time…
Couldn’t agree more the PI in the rams game would of been PI in 1985 lol everyone who has everyone watched football even before the rule changes knows that is illegal
In all honesty tho can we get Tony Romo to be offensive coordinator for the dolphins? Holy shit looking back at it that man basically knew what was gonna happen before it happened every play
Agree! Tony has become by far, my favorite announcer. He brings experience to the both but it’s not just x and o. It’s his maverick way of calling it like he sees it……… “there in coverage 0 which means they have to put Gronk out on the line because of the Safty bites down its one on one and Brady is going to toss it to him and although so and so is a great corner he has no shot at defending that” and BOOM it happens! It’s really cool especially this throwback….
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“Gase is going to run it here and pick up…… why didn’t he run the ball? He only needed like two feet and he throws it 38 yards into triple coverage? Why don’t you just run for it? I can’t explained it. Why would he do that?”
No, DEFENSIVE coordinator! I’ve seen a dozen articles praising the guy for knowing EXACTLY what play Brady was about to run. Imagine him yelling that into our defense’s helmets earpieces pre-snap !!!
I noticed this on the very game game he called. CBS knew too. They heard Tony call a game and then immediately said, “Bye bye Phil Simms !!”
Bye Bye Phil sims! Lol……
Man that guy was a painful to listen to…….
I will not dispute any Saint fan who blames the ref. However, I will point out who ALSO must take the blame. Drew Brees threw a pass in overtime that looked like Tannehill !
A Ram was right in his face, and there was no effort to sidestep him. Instead, he tried to throw the ball anyway, despite the fact that the Ram was draped all over his arm. In no universe whatsoever should Brees have thrown that ball. And yet we hear nothing about this because everyone is (rightfully) mad at the refs!
And here’s Drew being the most outspoken critic of the refs. Look in the mirror man
Yea no doubt Drew Brees looked his age the second half of the season and especially in that game.
I hear the Chiefs are wanting Rex to run the defense…
Yes, I confirm that rumor. The Chiefs lost to the Pats, and Andy Reid correctly fired his defensive coordinator for the awful game he called.
Patsies are saying that the Chiefs defender grazed Brady’s facemask hence the call so it was fair. Either way the point was that the ref was ten yards away and behind him he had to guess but still made the call because it was the golden boy. Highly doubt that call is made on the majority of the QBs in the league… total bias.
Do YOU GUYS see a graze??
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/for-petes-sake/article224848750.html
If I put on my NE Patsies field glasses I probably would!
“When CBS brought in their former ref/rules analyst, he clearly stated this was the wrong call. The referee, who was standing 10 yards BEHIND Brady, “assumed” the defender hit him in the head. He threw the flag, and that was pretty much it. An incompletion and then shoulda been punt instead turned into a Pats first down. All because the ref thought he saw something. He thought he saw somebody touch the NFL Poster Boy, and as we all know, that is against the rules. It helped give the game to New England. An atrocious phantom call.”
That penalty happened on 2nd down not 3rd. So the Patriots would have had another chance to try to get the first down on 3rd and 7. Bad call for sure but the way the Patriots were converting on 3rd downs all game they most likely would have made it. And technically he did graze his facemask but it still was a bad call. It definitely was not as bad as the missed PI in the Rams and Saints. That was unbelievable that they missed that.
The refs missed some calls that should have been called against the Chiefs too. There was a couple of clear illegal pick plays as well as PI that should have been called on the Chiefs.
Also, Edelman never touched and I watched this over and over. https://streamable.com/emdnk
In the end, the league should let teams challenge all plays including penalties and both teams should get chance to touch the ball in OT.
I cannot argue your point about how easily the Pats picked up third down conversions all night long. 3rd and 9 to the Patriots is like 3rd and inches for most teams. They convert them so often and so effortlessly. Of course, the Chiefs sitting back and rushing 2 or 3 men every single third down made it even easier. Brady had such a hard time finding an open receiver all night long, didn’t he!??
The Chiefs barely made any adjustments all night. That is a recipe for disaster against the Patriots. Also, the Chiefs defense was out there so long they were starting to get tired by the 4th which is why I think they made some of the mistakes they did (mental and physical).
Chiefs defense blew one game for them, and today Andy Reid rightfully fired their defensive coordinator.
Matt Burke blew about 25 games for the Dolphins, and Adam Gase kept him and defended him voraciously.
Well Andy Reid is one of the best coaches in football (idc what anyone says about the playoff losses I think he’s great and would love for him to come to Miami one day) Gase on the other hand is actually bringing Loggains in as his OC again, the definition of a man that doesn’t learn.
My friend just pointed out that Reid now has the most wins of any coach to never win the big one, surpassing Marty Schottenheimer. (Who I’d take over Brian Flores in a second too).
I keep waiting for my Brian Flores moment, when I read one hidden gem about him or learn something about his coaching history that makes me say, “Hmmmmm, I am excited.” OR “Hmmm, I’m really curious how this will play out.”
I’m just not getting those moments. Instead, I see–over and over–about how players like his personality, and how he is smart. Didn’t we hear that about Gase and Philbin? This guy hasnb’t paid his NFL dues and he is vastly inexperienced. What has he ever gone through in the NFL that made him ready to coach our team?
Reid is great offensive coach for sure but he is just not engaged with the defensive part of things which was obvious during this game. If they somehow get Rex Ryan as a DC… Man they will have a chance to be a super team with him scheming up the defense.
True but one could make the same argument about Belichick. He is a great defensive coach but he never won anything until Brady arrived and worked his magic on offense. Sometimes it takes luck for a coach to win a super bowl, hell just look at the rams basically got gifted a super bowl birth.
“…but he never won anything until Brady fumbled the ball to lose the AFC Championship, only to be saved by an obscure, never-called-before technicality called the tuck rule.”
My problem with Flores is he does seem to have to many similarities with Gase and Philbin. All three benefited from working with some of the greatest of all time, Rodgers for Philbin, Manning for Gase, and Belichick for Flores. Looking at some of Belichicks defensive coordinators that become head coaches doesn’t look promising either. Romeo Crenell was a disaster, Matt Patrica is only in his first year but he inherited a 9-7 team and went 6-10.
And they keep listing Bill O’Brien with Houston as a Belichick disciple who HAS succeeded. But I have to disagree. Houston always hovers around being a strong team, but they haven’t gotten over the hump in all this time. They beat the Pats this year and were in prime position to take the Number 2 seed (and force NEP to play a wildcard weekend game). but instead, Houston choked during December and handed the seed right back to NEP
So we’re doubling down on dumb…….. not one Patriot assistant coach to run the Dolphins but two! Chad O’Shea who is the Patriots wide receiver coach will be our OC! Whipppie!
There is a reason no other team in the NFL interviewed these guys and why they are happy and willing to come to the Dolphins.
You know what’s going to be sad….. when Gase beats us year after year and reminds us of the good old days of 6-10
Brian beat me to this. There is a reason Belichick allows these men to leave. if they were good and he wanted to keep them (a la Josh Mcdaniels), then BB will throw millions at them to keep them.
Yea Flores seems to just be bringing in people he has worked with before. Does that ever work? I don’t think so and Miami now is basically the Miami Patriots which makes sense since the jets are now the New York Dolphins