Indianapolis @ San Diego officiating

[Da Bomb]

Just out of curiosity sake, I went back and took a look at the penalties called from the beginning of the 4th quarter until the end of the game. Here they are:

1st and 10 at IND 32 (12:33) P.Rivers pass deep right intended for C.Chambers INTERCEPTED by A.Bethea at IND 0. A.Bethea pushed ob at IND 36 for 36 yards (J.Clary).
PENALTY on IND-A.Johnson, Low Block, 15 yards, enforced at IND 36.

1st and 10 at IND 21 (12:17) (Shotgun) P.Manning pass short right to D.Clark to IND 46 for 25 yards (A.Cason).
PENALTY on IND-J.Saturday, Tripping, 10 yards, enforced at IND 21 - No Play.

2nd and 10 at SD 46 (7:03) (Shotgun) P.Manning pass incomplete short right.
PENALTY on IND-T.Ugoh, Offensive Holding, 10 yards, enforced at SD 46 - No Play.

3rd and 21 at IND 43 (6:14) (Shotgun) P.Manning pass incomplete short middle to J.Addai.
Penalty on IND-R.Diem, Offensive Holding, declined.

2nd and 4 at SD 43 D.Sproles right end to SD 43 for no gain (T.Hagler).
PENALTY on IND-E.Foster, Defensive Holding, 5 yards, enforced at SD 43 - No Play.

3rd and 8 at IND 40 (10:04) P.Rivers pass incomplete short left to C.Chambers.
PENALTY on IND-T.Jennings, Defensive Holding, 5 yards, enforced at IND 40 - No Play.

1st and 10 at IND 35 (9:58) D.Sproles up the middle to IND 35 for no gain (C.Session).
PENALTY on IND-C.Session, Face Mask (15 Yards), 15 yards, enforced at IND 35.

==========

Conclusion:

San Diego had 0 penalties called on them for 0 yards in the 4th quarter and overtime.

Indianapolis had 7 penalties called on them for 70 yards in the 4th quarter and overtime. The penalties cost them 4 first downs (three on defense). The penalties cost the Colts 85 total yards (not even including the 10 on holding that was declined).

And this is fair... how? Four of these plays were holding calls, which any NFL watcher agrees could be called just about anywhere on any given play. One of them was a tripping call where the Colts player was tackled into the "trip." The face mask was absolutely legit but didn't matter at that point of the game in all likelihood anyway.

And to handle the obvious objection that even Tony Dungy knew this crew called a ton of penalties... up until the point of the game above, there had been 4 penalties total called, two on each team. So much for that theory.

I'm sure there will be plenty of explanations for this, but the facts speak for themselves. In a 3 point game with a season on the line, the referees gave the Chargers 85 yards in the fourth quarter and overtime and all but ensured San Diego victory. Dispute it as I'm sure you will, but those are the facts.

 

[eaglechick]

wow. i thought the officiating was going one way, but that's a pretty clear breakdown.

what a shame, because this was such an exciting game

 

[Mike]

Now I know why Dallas got screwed out of the playoffs. The refs were always calling more penalties on them than the other teams.

 

[Orgazmo]

I'm sure there will be plenty of explanations for this, but the facts speak for themselves. In a 3 point game with a season on the line, the referees gave the Chargers 85 yards in the fourth quarter and overtime and all but ensured San Diego victory. Dispute it as I'm sure you will, but those are the facts.

I think it was the Colts that gave them 85 yards. Thanks Colts!

 

[dukdown]

So, what are you trying to say Bomb? The biggest draw in the NFL is Peyton Manning. Any game he is in is gonna bring the highest ratings. I saw almost all those calls, and they were almost all legitimate. The only one I had an issue with was the defensive holding call on Jennings in OT, that was really ticky-tacky for that point of the game. But the tripping on Saturday was legit, the defenisve holding on Foster was legit.

 

[Miller]

So, what are you trying to say Bomb? The biggest draw in the NFL is Peyton Manning. Any game he is in is gonna bring the highest ratings. I saw almost all those calls, and they were almost all legitimate. The only one I had an issue with was the defensive holding call on Jennings in OT, that was really ticky-tacky for that point of the game. But the tripping on Saturday was legit, the defenisve holding on Foster was legit.

I think what he is trying to say is that when the chips were all on the table, the Colts folded and their undisciplined play in the 4th Q and OT is what cost them the game. If they could have eliminated their own mistakes, they could have won the game. But they didn't, and the Chargers did a great job of not shooting themselves in the foot, and thus won the game.

 

[gmrcharity]

I think this guy definately wins the whining of the century award.

 

[Da Bomb]

So, what are you trying to say Bomb? The biggest draw in the NFL is Peyton Manning. Any game he is in is gonna bring the highest ratings. I saw almost all those calls, and they were almost all legitimate. The only one I had an issue with was the defensive holding call on Jennings in OT, that was really ticky-tacky for that point of the game. But the tripping on Saturday was legit, the defenisve holding on Foster was legit.

people are going to watch playoff games either way. i saw all of the calls too, and sure when you zoom in with replay and look, you can find something that looks like holding. you know why? because you can on any play you want in the NFL, and any serious NFL fan knows that. you dont think the chargers made a single mistake the entire 4th quarter or OT, never grabbed a jersey or touched a facemask? if you really believe that, then youre nothing but naive.

the saturday and jennings calls were legitimately bad calls, and several of the others were just ones that did not have to be called at that point of the game given the magnitude. you can argue pretty easily that for about 5 of those penalties (all but the 2 offensive holdings), even one of them not being called probably turns the game.

the game is over and whats done is done. but several here asked for legitimate proof of a string of calls in a row that were poor, and i have provided that. like i already said above, i knew those same people would find some new way of ignoring the facts, but 7 penalties for close to 100 yards of field position with the season on the line cannot be ignored.

 

[JScott]

I'm sure there will be plenty of explanations for this, but the facts speak for themselves. In a 3 point game with a season on the line, the referees gave the Chargers 85 yards in the fourth quarter and overtime and all but ensured San Diego victory. Dispute it as I'm sure you will, but those are the facts.

I think your choice of words is a little off... the refs didn't "give" SD anything, they awarded SD with penalty yardage after IND committed penalties. If Indy doesn't commit penalties, then the refs don't award SD anything.



And for what it's worth, on NFLN the guy in charge of officials (forget his name) reviewed a number of the 4th quarter and OT calls and from the segment I saw backed up all the calls made, and even said he was glad this crew didn't "put away their flags" late in the game. Your first thought is, well what else is he going to do but back up his officials, but this guy has called it straight everytime I've seen him on NFLN. If it was a bad call, he has said so in the past. So take it for what it's worth.

 

[Arctic Dawgs]

And for what it's worth, on NFLN the guy in charge of officials (forget his name) reviewed a number of the 4th quarter and OT calls and from the segment I saw backed up all the calls made, and even said he was glad this crew didn't "put away their flags" late in the game. Your first thought is, well what else is he going to do but back up his officials, but this guy has called it straight everytime I've seen him on NFLN. If it was a bad call, he has said so in the past. So take it for what it's worth.

That Mike Pioria (sp) is a freakin "Yes Man". I have never seen him admit too a bad call. He only says whatever he can to justify the call. I've seen him say the opposite the very next week to a similar situation that was called the opposite way.

Nice to see Bomb making us Seahawk fans look good