One of the many bad calls by the referees last night

[Reality]

I know there were several bad calls last night including a couple that benefited the Cowboys so this is just about trying to understand the logic in why they called this a penalty.

This is from the NFL Rules on Offensive Pass Interference ..

PASS INTERFERENCE - It is pass interference by either team when any act by a player more than one yard beyond the line of scrimmage significantly hinders an eligible player’s opportunity to catch the ball. Pass interference can only occur when a forward pass is thrown from behind the line of scrimmage, regardless of whether the pass is legal or illegal, or whether it crosses the line.​

This is the play where they called pass interference on Tolbert blocking ..

The screenshot is the right at the moment Tolbert initiated contact with the defender.

Did they really think the dender was going to catch that ball if he was not blocked?

 

[RS12]

The first holding call on Guyton was questionable. They do get a lot of flag fests on TNFB but it started making the game unwatchable.

 

[speedkilz88]

Blocking before the pass is included in OPI, but if your snapshot is right at contact the ball was already in the air and should have been legal at least in my understanding of the rule.
But maybe it has to be caught before contact, but I've seen plenty of plays that didn't get flagged if that's the case.

 

[Reality]

Blocking before the pass is included in OPI, but if your snapshot is right at contact the ball was already in the air and should have been legal at least in my understanding of the rule.
But maybe it has to be caught before contact, but I've seen plenty of plays that didn't get flagged if that's the case.

But the rule states, "significantly hinders an eligible player’s opportunity to catch the ball" and I cannot see anyway that the defender could close 10 yards in a fraction of a second to catch that pass.

 

[sbark]

Another call that seems illogical....
Tibbedeau jumped offsides, flags flew
He stayed in neutral zone, gaining advantage
With that advantage he drew a holding call on Gueyton......

And Gueyton says we need better refs
He has got a point

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

That was the worst officiated game I’ve seen all year.

How do you call a facemask on Bellinger when Overshoen is
The one who committed it. I understand how hard a job officiating is but that crew was worse than bad.

 

[EPL0c0]

The first holding call on Guyton was questionable. They do get a lot of flag fests on TNFB but it started making the game unwatchable.

3rd QTR, 3rd & 1. Moot because the pass to the FB was INC.

But Guyton flagged for holding. Thibodeaux clearly tripped over T.Smith's leg and fell (and took Guyton down with him)

 

[speedkilz88]

3rd QTR, 3rd & 1. Moot because the pass to the FB was INC.

But Guyton flagged for holding. Thibodeaux clearly tripped over T.Smith's leg and fell (and took Guyton down with him)

Cowboys would likely have ran on 4th and 1, which is why the giants accepted the flag.

 

[Cowboysheelsreds053]

Bad thing is, you will not get the benefit of the doubt, when you lead the league in flags each year. This has been a problem for years and no coach can seen to change the culture.

 

[speedkilz88]

Bad thing is, you will not get the benefit of the doubt, when you lead the league in flags each year. This has been a problem for years and no coach can seen to change the culture.

If they're not getting the benefit of the doubt, you are admitting it's already baked in and there is nothing that they can do about it.

 

[Cowboysheelsreds053]

If they're not getting the benefit of the doubt, you are admitting it's already baked in and there is nothing that they can do about it.

What it means is if your are drawing so many flags every game that even the close ones will probably go against you too. When you are getting 10 or more flags a games that is just crazy. Not like this just started this season either.

 

[Flamma]

But the rule states, "significantly hinders an eligible player’s opportunity to catch the ball" and I cannot see anyway that the defender could close 10 yards in a fraction of a second to catch that pass.

I don't know what penalty was called. What I do know is, you can't block up field before the ball is caught. That's called every time. It's even a penalty in some computer games. I remember having fits trying to design plays for a game back in the late 90s because of this penalty. It's a pass play. You can't be blocking before the ball is caught. Had he thrown it backwards, you could.

 

[America's Cowboy]

Many of those referees standing on the field behind the offense are old fogies who probably don't have the best eyesight or best common sense abilities.



Probably need younger officials standing back there.

 

[Flamma]

Many of those referees standing on the field behind the offense are old fogies who probably don't have the best eyesight or best common sense abilities.



Probably need younger officials standing back there.

You're right. I'd also like to see a much younger group. But they got that play right. That can't be easy to see at full speed.

 

[noshame]

But the rule states, "significantly hinders an eligible player’s opportunity to catch the ball" and I cannot see anyway that the defender could close 10 yards in a fraction of a second to catch that pass.

He doesn't have to be near the ball, if he hindering his ability when the ball is in the air it's a penalty.
Sucks but that's how it's interpreted.
I thought the face mask they called on the Giants earlier could have actually affected the outcome of the game. I, for the life of me can't understand where the guy got that call from, if he's that stupid he shouldn't even be on the field.

 

[thunderpimp91]

ARTICLE 2. AFTER PASS IS THROWN

“After the ball leaves the passer’s hand, ineligible pass receivers can advance more than one yard beyond the line of scrimmage, or beyond the position reached by their initial charge, provided that they do not block or contact a defensive player, who is more than one yard beyond the line of scrimmage, until the ball is touched by a player of either team. Such prior blocking and/or contact is pass interference if it occurs in the vicinity of where the ball is thrown. See 8-3-1-Note above for exception when blocker maintains continuous contact.“

ARTICLE 4. OTHER PROHIBITED ACTS BY THE OFFENSE

“Acts that are pass interference include:

Blocking more than one yard beyond the line of scrimmage by an offensive player prior to a pass“

 

[Reality]

ARTICLE 2. AFTER PASS IS THROWN

“After the ball leaves the passer’s hand, ineligible pass receivers can advance more than one yard beyond the line of scrimmage, or beyond the position reached by their initial charge, provided that they do not block or contact a defensive player, who is more than one yard beyond the line of scrimmage, until the ball is touched by a player of either team. Such prior blocking and/or contact is pass interference if it occurs in the vicinity of where the ball is thrown. See 8-3-1-Note above for exception when blocker maintains continuous contact.“

ARTICLE 4. OTHER PROHIBITED ACTS BY THE OFFENSE

“Acts that are pass interference include:

Blocking more than one yard beyond the line of scrimmage by an offensive player prior to a pass“

You actually truncated that rule ..

"a) Blocking more than one yard beyond the line of scrimmage by an offensive player prior to a pass being thrown."​

The pass had already left Dak's hand by the time the block started so that part did not apply.

The rest of the rule is ..

"b) Blocking a defender beyond the line of scrimmage while the pass is in the air if the block occurs in the vicinity of the player to whom the pass is thrown."​

The defender was slightly over 10 yards away from the receiver and not able to catch or block the pass even if there was no blocker.

It's the same reason why they do not call "offensive" pass interference when a player blocks a player on the left side of the field when a pass is thrown to the right side of the field.

Defensive pass interference allows for "illegal contact" when the contact is away from the play but is made before the ball is caught, but for offensive pass interference, the criteria is usually "contact before the ball is released" or "contact with a defender who is capable of affecting the ball prior to the catch".

My guess is the referee misjudged how far the block happened from the catch.

 

[Reality]

3rd QTR, 3rd & 1. Moot because the pass to the FB was INC.

But Guyton flagged for holding. Thibodeaux clearly tripped over T.Smith's leg and fell (and took Guyton down with him)

Yeah, I pointed out that one in another thread.

I did not see a hold there at all because he never turned or halted him.

He released as soon as he got beat, but the rusher tripped and Guyton fell on top of him so they assumed he pulled him down.

 

[noshame]

You actually truncated that rule ..

"a) Blocking more than one yard beyond the line of scrimmage by an offensive player prior to a pass being thrown."​

The pass had already left Dak's hand by the time the block started so that part did not apply.

The rest of the rule is ..

"b) Blocking a defender beyond the line of scrimmage while the pass is in the air if the block occurs in the vicinity of the player to whom the pass is thrown."​

The defender was slightly over 10 yards away from the receiver and not able to catch or block the pass even if there was no blocker.

It's the same reason why they do not call "offensive" pass interference when a player blocks a player on the left side of the field when a pass is thrown to the right side of the field.

Defensive pass interference allows for "illegal contact" when the contact is away from the play but is made before the ball is caught, but for offensive pass interference, the criteria is usually "contact before the ball is released" or "contact with a defender who is capable of affecting the ball prior to the catch".

My guess is the referee misjudged how far the block happened from the catch.

Problem being is, the rules are full of subjective terms like vicinity describe that in terms of yards.

How many holding penalties do you see called totally away from the play? Especially on special teams.
But you're right, it's up to the interpretation of the guy throwing the flag in that leaves it wide open.
If I don't approve of the call, but calls like that happen multiple times every game, every Sunday.
I guess the only solace being sometimes they benefit you and sometimes they do not.
Overall, the quality of officiating in the NFL is absolutely horrific with no accountability.

 

[shabazz]

All good points but if officiating actually effects a game that should have been a blowout, we have bigger issues than officiating