How was that not interference on Turpin (running into punt receiver)?

[DCwarrior]

The officiating reeks with collusion. It’s been that way for years but seems more prevalent now with all the gambling.

 

[Cmac]

I hope a Ref doesn't write a book titled "I was given a suitcase full of money to make those calls".

 

[Cmac]

The officiating reeks with collusion. It’s been that way for years but seems more prevalent now with all the gambling.

Just saw it Sunday night against the GMen in the redzone.

 

[JayFord]

it was interference

these days im not shocked the NFL is about money first, controversy second outsidr entertainment third and the actual game of football dead last

 

[Pola_pe_a]

Three things actually happened on that play that should give the ball to the Cowboys.

1) the tackler pushed the Cowboys blocker into the returner
2) the tackler also hit the returner himself with his arm and knee
3) a tackler pushed Tolbert into the ball before he touched it

Any one of those three should cause the ball to remain with Dallas so all 3 should have definitely done it.

#1 is legal. It’s only illegal if the Cowboy player wasn’t trying to block and he just got hit into Tolbert.
#2. Also legal as long as he wasn’ the first.
#3. Legal again. That’s why returners are taught to get away from the ball

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Aikman and Buck nonchalantly dismissed that the Charger player bulldozed Tolbert directly into Turpin who called fair catch, while also making contact with Turpin as well? I couldn't have been the only one puzzled by this? If this is legal why not just attempt to drive receiving blockers into the punt receiver on every punt? This changed the entire momentum of the game and almost cost us.

the chargers blocked a cowboys player, happened to go into turpin. that's allowed. that's on your player to get out of the way. if he did it directly with no cowboys player around, then yes, that's a penalty

 

[aikemirv]

The refs were ridiculous on both sides last night. Tired of seeing the yellow on the field!

 

[NFCBeasts]

I couldn't believe it either, I found this.



No excuse for the Special Teams coach to ever allow such a thing, and Tolbert should have to walk to the airport. It's a rule that should obviously be changed.

We should try and steal their special teams coach

 

[HungryLion]

The problem was Tolbert was blocked into Turpin. It was the initial contact by Tolbert that caused Turpin not to be able to field the punt.

The chargers player still made contact with turpin. The rule states they Aren’t allowed to do that in clear black and white language.

 

[Flamma]

Aikman and Buck nonchalantly dismissed that the Charger player bulldozed Tolbert directly into Turpin who called fair catch, while also making contact with Turpin as well? I couldn't have been the only one puzzled by this? If this is legal why not just attempt to drive receiving blockers into the punt receiver on every punt? This changed the entire momentum of the game and almost cost us.

I wanted to kill someone!!! How was that not fair catch interference? I never thought the refs could be that stupid. The Charger wasn't blocked into Turpin. He was doing the pushing and he made contact with Turpin. What the hell?

Aikman and Buck had to be drunk. How the hell did they see that as being blocked into Turpin?

 

[Runwildboys]

It should have since it happened before the change of possession, back them up and re-kick.

Maybe, I don't know. That sounds like the way it should be done, but a lot of things in the NFL are bassackwards.

 

[mahoneybill]

I wanted to kill someone!!! How was that not fair catch interference? I never thought the refs could be that stupid. The Charger wasn't blocked into Turpin. He was doing the pushing and he made contact with Turpin. What the hell?

Aikman and Buck had to be drunk. How the hell did they see that as being blocked into Turpin?

Because someone was in their earpiece telling them
What to say

Missed in the whole who can do what is the obvious face mask on Tolbert that should have negated the call

 

[Creeper]

There was no interference because the defender never ran into Turpin. One of the Cowboys players was blocked into Turpin.

The rule states a kicking team member cannot cause a receiving team member to make contact with the fair catch receiver. In other words, you cannot shove a member of the receiving team into the receiver. That is interference which is a 15 yard penalty. The rule uses the term "passive" when referring to the receiving team member who is shoved, but there is a debate as to what that means. I sure hope the NFL issues a clarification of the play and the rule because it looked to me like the gunner shoved Tolbert into the receiver. If that is not a penalty it should be.

 

[Creeper]

The problem was Tolbert was blocked into Turpin. It was the initial contact by Tolbert that caused Turpin not to be able to field the punt.

If Tolbert was blocked into Turpin, it should be a penalty. But the "expert" on TV said it was the other way around. Tolbert blocked the Chargers player into Turpin.

If the Cowboys lost the game because of that play I am sure we would be hearing a lot more from TV analysts and the NFL about the play, and the rule. But since the Cowboys won it will probably be ignored. But I would love for the front office to explain what they think happened and why is was not a penalty.

Tolbert was in a no win situation. He could not have seen if the ball had hit Turpin or not since he was on the ground. And Turpin was also knocked to the ground so he probably had no idea either.

 

[CWR]

#1 is legal. It’s only illegal if the Cowboy player wasn’t trying to block and he just got hit into Tolbert.
#2. Also legal as long as he wasn’ the first.
#3. Legal again. That’s why returners are taught to get away from the ball

The actual rule is posted at the bottom of the first page and it appears to have been violated.

More so let's talk about the hands to the face.

 

[Creeper]

Yes, we all saw Tolbert made contact with Turpin first, but that isn't the point. Tolbert was shoved into Turpin by the gunner. And of course there was the hands to the face that wasn't called either, but the main point is the rule states the kicking team cannot cause a receiving team player to make contact with the receiver. Is the NFL saying that gunner can literally block a blocker into the receiver and it is legal? If so, the rule needs to be changed or what is the point of calling for a fair catch?

 

[TexasHillbilly]

The refs were ridiculous on both sides last night. Tired of seeing the yellow on the field!

Got to agree but a couple of those calls saved our butts.

 

[droopdog7]

Looks like a foul by the rules to me. Pertinent text in red.

RULE 10 OPPORTUNITY TO CATCH A KICK, FAIR CATCH​

SECTION 1 OPPORTUNITY TO CATCH A KICK​

ARTICLE 1. INTERFERENCE. During a scrimmage kick that crosses the line of scrimmage, or during a free kick, members of​

the kicking team are prohibited from interfering with any receiver making an attempt to catch the airborne kick, or from obstructing​

or hindering his path to the airborne kick, regardless of whether any signal was given.​

​

Item 1. Contact with Receiver. It is interference if a player of the kicking team contacts the receiver, or causes a passive player​

of either team to contact the receiver, before or simultaneous to the receiver touching the ball. It is not a foul if a kicking team​

player is blocked into the receiver or the contact is the result of a foul.​

​

Item 2. Right of Way. A receiver who is moving toward a kicked ball that is in flight has the right of way. If opponents obstruct his​

path to the ball, or cause a passive player of either team to obstruct his path, it is interference, even if there is no contact, or if he​

catches the ball in spite of the interference, and regardless of whether any signal was given.​

I’m sure someone has commented on this already, but Tolbert was NOT a passive player, meaning it was a legal play.

 

[WoodysGirl]

This was a terrible sequence of events.. In no way possible should this have been the Chargers ball.

 

[droopdog7]

how can it be called a muffed punt when tolbert was blocked into turpin , that was a terrible call.

The muff was Tolbert touching it first after the scramble