Gene Steratore finally gets it right
Super Bowl LII was one for the history books. What a great game! Perhaps unnoticed was the fact that the referees were fairly reasonable. Aside from some questionable PI calls and non-calls, it was solid. The Patriots Ref jokes are endless but can't really be applied to this game. It was good that the terrible NFL catch rule didn't cost the Eagles that game winning touchdown, and Steratore did a good job making the right call. I personally fully expected it to be overturned. Now if only he could fairly call a Michigan game...
February 5th, 2018 at 10:09 AM ^
February 5th, 2018 at 12:45 AM ^
I agree it should be a TD, but I take it you didn't see the Dez Bryant play a few year's ago in the playoffs. From that play on I have no idea what is a catch and what isn't. The desciption you used for the Eagles TD could also have been used on that play, too. It's crazy.
February 5th, 2018 at 12:03 AM ^
February 4th, 2018 at 11:49 PM ^
isn't all the replay review decided by NY?
February 5th, 2018 at 10:07 AM ^
February 4th, 2018 at 11:58 PM ^
February 5th, 2018 at 8:26 AM ^
I think it was the right call, but barely. He took three steps not 4, and was being contacted on the third step. It was a close call
February 5th, 2018 at 12:02 AM ^
I dont think clements lost possesion of the ball he just switched hands. The Ertz td was a clear td. The review on the Ertz catch is the reason the ratings are down.
February 5th, 2018 at 1:07 AM ^
tds are reviewed
February 5th, 2018 at 10:58 AM ^
February 5th, 2018 at 12:08 AM ^
so no credit due to him on that account, but overall they did a good job of not becoming the story.
The only reason the second TD catch (Ertz) was reviewed that long was because of the Jesse James fiasco in the Pats-Steelers game. Both had a lot of similarities: player seemingly catching and making a "football move" including getting their feet down and lunging for the endzone with the ball clearly in control until it broke the plane of the endzone and hit the turf, coming loose in both cases.
In my opinion, both should be TDs in a world where the asinine catch rule isn't enforced via "The Process." But tonight, Ertz at least had a claim of those full striding steps post-catch before lunging, whereas James reached over his head to grab the ball, brought the ball down, turned, and lunged with the ball outstretched all in one more or less smooth motion.
The easiest thing to do over the off-season is for the competition committee to adopt the college catch rule: yes, you must maintain possession if you're going to the ground when making the catch, but a "second act" (such as having the ball clearly under control and stretching out for the goal line) suffices to demonstrate a catch has taken place, which is just common sense.
February 5th, 2018 at 3:04 AM ^
Yeah, James clearly 1) caught the ball, 2) pulled it in; 3) hit the ground, and 4) extended the ball (who would extend the ball if they didn't have control of it?). When he extended (after realizing that he had not been touched and the ball was not dead yet), the ball 5) broke the plane of the end zone at which point it should have been a TD, and 6) the ball moving after he put it on the ground was a moot point.
Ertz had at least two steps with the ball before he extended the ball broke the plane of the end zone.
February 5th, 2018 at 12:22 AM ^
February 5th, 2018 at 1:02 AM ^
Never get the "cheating" allegations. You don't cheat your way to 5 super bowl wins in 17 years. Every professional team takes every advantage it can get. My guess is that most of these allegations likely come from Pats haters. Giants-Jets-Steeler-Colts-Ravens fan?
February 5th, 2018 at 5:33 AM ^
February 5th, 2018 at 12:47 AM ^
They weren't calling much as far as pass interference. I guess you could say they were consistant, since they let stuff go on both teams, but there were several play that were clearly PI.
February 5th, 2018 at 12:59 AM ^
And several clear holding calls as well. Saw a lot of gabbing by the OL - wonder why there weren't any sacks until the Brady sack fumble - and a lot of PI, as you point out.
February 5th, 2018 at 1:04 AM ^
steratore had nothing to do with the reviewed calls. those decisions are made in NY. know the rules.
February 5th, 2018 at 6:49 AM ^
February 5th, 2018 at 6:09 AM ^
I don't think the refs did a particularly good job.
#1 Philly's 4th down TD right before halftime was an illegal formation. If the proper call is made, Philly likely settles for a field goal, which is a net loss of 4 points.
#2 Philly clearly bobbled the ball out of the back of the endzone. That play was 3rd and long, so once again Philly likely settles for a field goal, which is a net loss of 4 points.
February 5th, 2018 at 7:26 AM ^
February 5th, 2018 at 8:02 AM ^
February 5th, 2018 at 9:57 AM ^
Jeffrey (lined up wide right) was considered on the line. He checked with the linesman and got an ok on his position. He certainly lined up in a grey area, but he confirmed with the linesman that he was considered lined up correctly.
February 5th, 2018 at 10:10 AM ^
if the linesman says OK,you're OK, but in this case he might have been fine anyway. The basic way to police it is to see if the receiver's head (he's leaning forward) is basically lined up where the center's butt is, so a couple yards back from where the ball is placed for the snap. He was basically in that area.
February 5th, 2018 at 9:31 AM ^
February 5th, 2018 at 10:39 AM ^
February 5th, 2018 at 6:23 AM ^
The announcers weren't even sure why the Clement touchdown was a touchdown. The definition of a touchdown seems to change from week to week, and from team to team.
February 5th, 2018 at 7:45 AM ^
February 5th, 2018 at 7:04 AM ^
I also think the refs did a good job of not injecting themselves into the game. However, I think they let too much holding go.
Ertz call was right IMO, but I thought Clement's TD should have been incompletion. Steratore had nothing to do with these decisions.
February 5th, 2018 at 8:50 AM ^
The best thing the refs/league office did was to review the plays quickly, so we didn't have a Purdue end of game situation. They were both about 90 seconds and out.
Putting a time limit on all reviews seems the best way to avoid the frame-by-frame pedantry that we saw in the Purdue game. If the refs/league office isn't sure after 90 seconds, the call stands.
February 5th, 2018 at 8:54 AM ^
When I watched it live, I didn't even think it was up for debate as to whether or not that was a TD.
Caught, took 3 full steps, planted another 2 before being tackled and crossed the line.
I think if they would have ruled that a drop, and NE went on to win that game, the NFL could have done some irreversible damage.
February 5th, 2018 at 8:54 AM ^
Yes it has its flaws but the more wording they add to the catch rule the cloudier they make it. Define it loosely and let common sense prevail.
February 5th, 2018 at 11:00 AM ^
Concept is not bad, but the question should be "is there indisputable evidence that the call should be overturned"? If something is ruled a catch, but review shows it likely (but not almost certainly) was not a catch, then vote should turn out non-catch and the call would be overturned. Seems like it could move the standard from something akin to "beyond a reasonable doubt" to something akin to "proponderence of evidence".
February 5th, 2018 at 9:53 AM ^
It was nice to see common sense prevail. It was a fantastic game, and it was decided by the players, not the refs.
February 5th, 2018 at 10:00 AM ^
February 5th, 2018 at 10:05 AM ^
If that call had gone against the Eagles, and they had lost - I just don't know... We might have seen marshall law on Broad street last night.
February 5th, 2018 at 10:41 AM ^
February 5th, 2018 at 11:09 AM ^
enforced by Marshal Mallow, the best ever brand of hot cocoa with star-shaped marshmallows.
"Marshal Mallow Cocoa stars... my stars!"
February 6th, 2018 at 2:25 PM ^
Downvoted myself.
February 5th, 2018 at 10:20 AM ^
February 5th, 2018 at 10:29 AM ^
February 5th, 2018 at 10:47 AM ^
I know these are rules the NFL has setup...but how in the world did the get to this point where that Touchdown is somehow a close call? That's a touchdown. If that happens in college game, no one even raises an eyebrow at it. The NFL has to fix that rule
February 5th, 2018 at 10:53 AM ^
February 5th, 2018 at 10:54 AM ^
February 5th, 2018 at 10:57 AM ^
February 5th, 2018 at 11:13 AM ^
I'd say that much of that game was the epitome of def naive football.
February 5th, 2018 at 5:21 PM ^
February 5th, 2018 at 11:53 AM ^
2nd one was a touchdown. 1st one, by rule, probably should not have been. He bobbled the ball and then didn't get two feet in. Should have counted in college, but not NFL.
February 5th, 2018 at 3:32 PM ^
Whether on the filed or the court, I do not like this man. Not sure why, just don't.