So are we back to having to goose-step again, NFL, and be good little Patriots?

Sounds like it, after what you guys pulled on Sunday.

Two major points of contention at the end of the game.

First, the scoreboard -- now, one can say that the players and coaches need to pay attention on their own to down, time, distance, etc. and so forth. The problem is that the kicker (if you watch almost any game that's that close) is off to the side practicing his kicking into a small net!

So he's the one who's got to concentrate on getting himself ready to (if he's called on to do so) put the ball through the uprights.

So, when all Hell breaks loose, he has to run out onto the field, rush everything (never mind that the Ravens' coach does NOT call his time out -- dum dum DUUUUUUUUUUM...), and botch the kick horribly to put Tom Brady and the Patriots back into the Super Bowl since the LAST time they played the Giants (SpygateBowl).

But here's the thing: Doesn't the clock operator have a responsibility to keep the clocks accurate? (And, on occasion, the referees will ask the clock operator to relevantly reset the clock...)

Keep all this in mind when we rewind a couple plays to the OTHER controversy...

2nd and 1 -- 16 yard line -- :25 to go. (This YouTube clip has both that play and the missed kick.)

Flacco goes back, passes to the end zone, it's caught by the receiver (Lee Evans), he is able to take a step or two in the end zone, but is ruled incomplete when "at the last second" (according to the announcer) the Patriot defender gets a hand in.

But let's take another look at this play on the replay, starting at :17 of the clip...

Evans catches the ball cleanly.

He is in the end zone, but when he catches the ball, both feet are in the air.

He absolutely gets one foot down with full possession, but the Patriot defender (Sterling Moore) appears to be able to slap the ball out before the second foot gets down. It's probably not even Calvin Johnson material.

Now, the key look at :27 of the clip, side on...

The official is right there, Evans is in the end zone for a touchdown. But, again, when he catches it, both feet are in the air, so he has no by-rule possession credit at this point.

One foot down at about :31.

Second foot comes down, and if you stop it right as the second foot comes down, you see the ball being slapped out.

Sorry guys... The scoreboard debacle I will give as a possible evidence of a Patsy rig-job. But the pass was incomplete. Yes, Evans needs to catch that and hold it -- but he didn't, not QUITE long enough. He literally was an eyelash from the Super Bowl.

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One final thought on the whole 49er debacle:

Does anyone else want to forward the possibility that the league actually got to that punt returner instead of the quarterback, knowing they were able to script a close game for good primetime ratings?

Just a thought... This is no coincidence.