It definitely seemed that the officiating favored the Steelers, at least on all the bad/questionable calls. I like the concept of the Tennis replay rule. Admittedly, the technology there is a lot quicker than NFL replays, but they get unlimited challenges until they are wrong three times in a set. That sounds like a lot, and maybe it is. In the NFL, I'd like to see unlimited challenges until you get it wrong twice. There's no reason related to the fairness of the game why one team should have to stop at three if the refs keep making mistakes against them.
In last night's game, two of the bad calls were overturned on replay, enough said there. Admittedly, I don't believe that either was a gross error, and I do favor treating a questionable fumble/incomplete as a fumble on the field to ensure the right team gets the ball if it was actually a fumble. That doesn't mean that the refs can't get together and decide it was a pass attempt after the action and before going to replay, though, which is what should have happened on this one.
The three penalty drive was out there as well. The roughing the passer call didn't involve an extension of arms to drive the QB into the turf and wasn't particularly late. Meanwhile, on that play, Roethlisberger fired the ball out of bounds with no one in the vicinity and didn't appear to be outside the tackle boxes to me, but no grounding flag. That may have been like the one later in the game, though, where he was about a half yard outside the tackles. I didn't see the alleged face mask, though it probably occurred since no one was complaining about it. I certainly didn't see Holmes twisted or wrestled down by the mask, though, so maybe it was the equivalent of the old five yard variety and should have been a no call? I never heard of a running over the holder penalty before, but it was more of a hurdling than a leveling and I don't think I would have called it unless the rules are very strict on the matter. It didn't look like contact that could lead to injury, which is what most of those rules are about.
The chop block on James was questionable as well. He hit that guy straight on and the fact that a lineman was just placing a hand on him doesn't qualify as engaged to me. That rule is to prevent someone from coming in at an angle to injure the knees of a guy who is stood up and defenseless, clearly not the case here.
I also don't think Parker escaped the end zone, but the holding a play or two later created the safety anyway. If they called it a safety, there certainly wouldn't have been video to dispute the call. Those replays showed a big crowd and not much detail on the position of the ball.
Finally, I really don't believe that final call was correct on the fumble/incomplete pass. While Warner's hand was twisted and the ball wasn't going to end up anyplace good, it appeared to be firmly in his grasp until his arm started forward. Again, I don't think they could have overturned it if they called it the other way. I was looking forward to the Cards getting the ball back with 7-8 seconds on the clock and somewhere around the Steelers 30 after the fifteen yard unsportsmanlike conduct was walked off. It would have at least meant a couple exciting shots into the end zone rather than a kneel down.
At least I didn't see any plays start two seconds after the play clock hit zero.
Can anyone point to questionable calls or penalties that went the Cards way?
-Bob
