Chris Carter is Defending Hitchens!

[Primetime42]

Sorry. That was PI. Twice. First the jersey grab and then the contact with the shoulder.

We got away with one. I refuse to pretend otherwise.

I apologize for nothing! This team has been screwed enough times in the past!

 

[DenCWBY]

What is really funny....Is how the big push for illegal contact in the pre-season got completely thrown out the window this weekend. There was so much grabbing and re-routing WRs in this round of the playoffs I'm shocked no one has mentioned it.

That Carolina/Cardinal game was horrific w/ the way the Cards just abused people. Can't say the Lions/Cowboys game was that much better.

Hopefully the officiating won't be a factor in Green Bay. It's killing the game.

THIS bigtime!! It's the most inconsistently called penalty in the league and the refs/nfl are doing it no justice. They took a stand in preseason and now PI is back where it was with the seahwks in the superbowl. Hate to say it but I think they need to make it a reviewable. I can't blame the refs too much because the game is too fast and use they have too many things to think about with all their now required to consider. Bring in the eye in the sky.

 

[Direwolf63]

The facemask is irrelevant to whether it was PI or not. You guys are using that to distract from the actual call on the field.

You cannot grab someone's jersey to impede their progress. You cannot make clear substantial contact with the receiver before the ball arrives with your back to the football.

Hitchens did both. It was a penalty.

It's a judgement call. The head linesmen said the contact was not enough to call PI. He was right there. He saw it better than all of us. You call it substantial contact, but he said it wasn't enough to make the call. The only guy to throw the flag was behind the play. The other refs closer didn't throw flags.

I'll take their version of the play. Homerism has nothing to do with it.

 

[DallasInDC]

I am watching it now. NO ONE. and I mean NO ONE is even discussing that Hitchens facemaks was grabbed. No one....and I mean NO ONE is talking about what a horribly thrown ball that was to a guy that was not even open. Pettigrew had NO CHANCE based on where that ball was thrown...the ball needed to be higher to give Pettigrew a chance AND to give the ref a chance to throw a flag!

That's because controversy is good for business. Bringing up those points and killing the discussion will not create tub e amount of viewership that promoting the controversy does.

 

[Derinyar]

The play was a mess. Hitchens shouldn't have been called for PI at any point, especially with how they had been calling the game to that point. Hitchens could have been called for a hold early in the play. It might have been a bit ticky tacky but it would have been a legitimate call. Pettigrew should have been called for either on OPI or a face mask penalty, probably a face mask.

I still swear most of the issue here is that the umpire announced the penalty too quickly. They didn't confab before and the linesman on that side had to basically chase the umpire down to say I didn't see anything there for a flag. The back judge didn't have an angle to actually see what happened on the play. So the officiating crew made its own mess. I think if he had called the whole crew together there wouldn't be as much of an issue. Now once its announced and accepted I'm not sure if its actually allowed to waive the penalty off like they did.

 

[rynochop]

Gerry Austin (espn ref consultant, old geezer) said it wasn't PI because the receiver was still moving away from the ball and there was incidental contact. If he had just stopped then it would have been PI. Hitchens was just face masking him.

 

[jterrell]

I thought the issue was him coming on the field

Refs warn guys all the time about coming onto the field without throwing a flag.
Half the team comes on the field it seems after big plays.
As long as they hustle right back off when warned there aren't flags.

No ref wants to be the story by throwing a flag for that.

If Dez had scored and took off his helmet then threw up the X int he end zone that WOULD have drawn a flag.
But half the team is running on the field after big plays to congratulate guys or huddle around coaches before the next play. A number of those guys will have helmets in hand. QBs often stand there helmet in hand 5 yards onto the field talking to a coach and no one calls for Brady or Payton to get flagged.

 

[DogFace]

I am watching it now. NO ONE. and I mean NO ONE is even discussing that Hitchens facemaks was grabbed. No one....and I mean NO ONE is talking about what a horribly thrown ball that was to a guy that was not even open. Pettigrew had NO CHANCE based on where that ball was thrown...the ball needed to be higher to give Pettigrew a chance AND to give the ref a chance to throw a flag!

Skip mentioned it in FT.

 

[Doc50]

What is really funny....Is how the big push for illegal contact in the pre-season got completely thrown out the window this weekend. There was so much grabbing and re-routing WRs in this round of the playoffs I'm shocked no one has mentioned it.

That Carolina/Cardinal game was horrific w/ the way the Cards just abused people. Can't say the Lions/Cowboys game was that much better.

Hopefully the officiating won't be a factor in Green Bay. It's killing the game.

It looked like the Lions offense was holding receivers on almost every play, so it appears that their intent was to play in the "gray area" of the rules.
Therefore, it's likely coached that way. Unfortunately, the Cowboys and everyone else does it somewhat as well.

If we had IR on PI or holding, we'd be reviewing every play.

The answer? Just enforce the no contact rules as currently stated.

 

[DogFace]

Both McNabb and Randy Moss thought it was PI.

What now?

You know what they say about opinions. It applies to message boards too

 

[iceberg]

You know what they say about opinions. It applies to message boards too

I'd have to wonder when the last time he used mcnabb or moss as a sounding point for being "right" in an argument.

my guess is, only when they agree with him.

 

[etw926]

The facemask is irrelevant to whether it was PI or not. You guys are using that to distract from the actual call on the field.

You cannot grab someone's jersey to impede their progress. You cannot make clear substantial contact with the receiver before the ball arrives with your back to the football.

Hitchens did both. It was a penalty.

http://i910.***BLOCKED***/albums/ac303/elfprincessarcher/morganfreemanhemad.jpg

 

[calicowboy54]

I am watching it now. NO ONE. and I mean NO ONE is even discussing that Hitchens facemaks was grabbed. No one....and I mean NO ONE is talking about what a horribly thrown ball that was to a guy that was not even open. Pettigrew had NO CHANCE based on where that ball was thrown...the ball needed to be higher to give Pettigrew a chance AND to give the ref a chance to throw a flag!

1st thing i said yesterday when seeing it live was FACEMASK then the flag and i thought it was for that. then heard for PI flipped out woke my daughter up to only have them pick it up and listen to her scream for next 30 min


Great NON call Ref next time don't throw the flag at all we will all be happier

 

[kycowboyfan]

Gerry Austin (espn ref consultant, old geezer) said it wasn't PI because the receiver was still moving away from the ball and there was incidental contact. If he had just stopped then it would have been PI. Hitchens was just face masking him.

I don't even believe that it would have been face guarding in the college rules. If you watch the play Hitchens hands don't even come up until after the ball has hit him in the back.

 

[Tobal]

It could have gone either way, the clumsy handling made it a big deal. These refs don't work together throughout the season and it showed.

The Lions had a ton of chances and didn't get it done. Get over it.

 

[xwalker]

You must be so disappointed.

Would a real Cowboys fan would be adamant that it was "double-PI" against Hitchens?

 

[xwalker]

Wow - can't believe what I'm hearing... He's saying:

. It wasn't pass interference
. Face guarding is not a penalty in the NFL like in college ball
. If anything, Pettigrew grabbed Hitchen's facemask
. Pettigrew didn't come back to the ball and could have changed the call if he had - forcing Hitchen's to move into him
. Hitchen's has a right to his space, it was man coverage
. Hitchen's didn't 'gain an advantage' by putting his left hand on Hitchen's
. The trajectory of the ball was flat and if it had been better thrown, then Hitchen's left hand would have impeded Pettigrew


He actually talked Greenie and Golic OUT OF IT!!!

IMO, it was offensive PI. The receiver had his hand on Hitchens face mask.

 

[etw926]

Would a real Cowboys fan would be adamant that it was "double-PI" against Hitchens?

Nope.

 

[Flinger]

IMO, it was offensive PI. The receiver had his hand on Hitchens face mask.

I agree with you.

I'll tell ya one thing - I'm so glad I never aspired to be a NFL ref. Split second calls at the speed of the game - while trying to get the calls right. Tough job...

 

[Zimmy Lives]

IMO, it was offensive PI. The receiver had his hand on Hitchens face mask.

In my opinion, it does not matter anymore.

Did anyone finish researching taco stands in Green Bay? Better yet, has anyone started researching taco stands in Seattle?