Before the NFL season kicked off, four teams were collectively the prohibitive favorites to win the AFC. Since then, they have played a lackluster collective eight games. The Steelers barely beat the Titans then lost to the Bears; The Patriots got a miracle win against the Bills then looked out-of-sync on offense in a loss to the Jets; The Chargers needed a last-minute TD to beat the Raiders then lost to the Ravens; The Colts beat the Jags by 2 at home then needed yet another a friendly referee to beat the Dolphins (photo after the jump).
The two AFC teams that have looked the best so far: The New York Jets and Baltimore Ravens. Conventional wisdom on the Jets has said they can’t possibly win with a rookie quarterback replacing the great Brett Favre, but they did what Favre couldn’t do and did it against Tom Brady (not Matt Cassell). If the Ravens keep playing like they they have so far, they will quickly be the favorites to win the Super Bowl.
Unless a defender is now allowed to grab the receiver’s jersey and grab him around the waist as he goes up with position to catch a ball in flight, this was textbook pass interference in the end zone as the referee watched closely from just a few yards away.
on Sep 22nd, 2009 at 2:35 AM
Textbook PI? I guess in Cyd NFL Land, where every Colts win is somehow tainted.
The defender made a great play and had every right to fight for the ball. He did not interfere. This specific play was discussed on the NFL Network and it was unanimous that it was a good play by the Colts’ DB. I checked Dolphins sites and saw one reference to the play being maybe “borderline.” Ted Ginn never complained and the ESPN crew never discussed it because there was nothing to complain about or discuss. There is no there there.
Great win by the Colts despite their D playing like garbage.
on Sep 22nd, 2009 at 10:35 AM
“If the Ravens keep playing like they they have so far, they will quickly be the favorites to win the Super Bowl.”
Have you seen what the Saints are doing? I think they will be favored to win if they keep doing what they’re doing…
on Sep 22nd, 2009 at 10:45 AM
Saints are in the NFC…
on Sep 22nd, 2009 at 11:22 AM
I said the Patriots had no business winning last week and that it was a “miracle.” Instead of getting help from the Bills, the Colts got help from the refs last night. I call it like I see it.
Again, if grabbing the receiver with both hands before the ball gets to him is legal, you’re right. If it’s not legal, then it was definitely pass interference whether “other people are talking about it” or not.
on Sep 22nd, 2009 at 4:02 PM
In today’s NFL it seems the refs allow incidental hand and arm contact between a receiver and defender as long as it doesn’t have a significant impact on the play.
For the play in question, it looks to me that as the defender is jumping up to defend the pass his right hand gets caught under the receiver’s, Ginn’s, right shoulder pad. That action of the defender’s hand under Ginn’s shoulder pad causes Ginn’s right hand to jerk towards and even behind his left hand. Thus making it impossible to catch the ball.
I only noticed the effect of the defender’s hand under Ginn’s shoulder pad in the slow motion replay – so I can’t find too much fault with the refs on this one. It was a bang-bang play that could’ve reasonbly called either way. But in slow motion replay it does look like interference.
Check out the replay (last five seconds shows an excellent angle from the front showing the movement of Ginn’s right arm) on youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zhf0Y0_eWBo
on Sep 22nd, 2009 at 4:32 PM
A good no call. Funny how I don’t see Ginn immediately crying for a flag there.
I saw that clip, look closely at where Pennington got rid of that ball in relation to the line of scrimmage. Very close there.