I had the Patriots down for, I believe, about 10-6 or 11-5 this year because I felt the league was going to fuck them over for the Aaron Hernandez deal.
I believe we now have at least one loss we can attribute to just that.
For reasons known only to God and to Jets coach Rex Ryan, Ryan, in overtime of a 27-27 tie with New England (and already into the sudden-death part of it), decided to send his kicker out for a 56-yard field goal to win it.
The reason this is stupid is because New England would've been about two first downs from winning the game themselves if (and, eventually, when) the kicker missed the field goal.
Except for an NFL first!! (.GIF from Deadspin)
Yes, an NFL first actually gave the Jets a 15-yard "unsportsmanlike conduct" penalty against the Patriots on the missed field goal.
The penalty (which has been confirmed correct -- see below for my response) was that one of the defensive linemen for the Patriots pushed one of the offensive linemen into the backfield.
This, starting this year, is a violation of the rules...
"(a) When Team A presents a punt, field-goal attempt or a Try Kick formation, a Team B player, who is within 1 yard of the line of scrimmage. must have his entire body outside the snapper's shoulder pads at the snap. (b) When Team A presents a field-goal or Try Kick formation: (1) No more than six Team B players may be on the line of scrimmage on either side of the snapper at the snap; Penalty: For illegal formation by the defense, loss of 5 yards from the previous spot. (2) Team B players cannot push teammates on the line of scrimmage into the offensive formation. Penalty: For unnecessary roughness, loss of 15 yards from the previous spot."
The Jets make the field goal after the next series, game over, Jets 30 - Patriots 27.
OK, the call is questionable to begin with -- who does he push, where is he, and the penalty would be for unnecessary roughness, not unsportsmanlike conduct.
As you can see in the NFL.com article, it is meant to make the situation safer.
OK, I get all this.
But can one person honestly tell me to my face that there has been no other incidence of this in any of the first six weeks (now seven) of the NFL season this year??
And how far is that into the backfield? I mean, seriously...
If you think you can straighten this out for me, I have a bridge to sell you. In the nice swampland of Phoenix, Arizona.
The Patriots got fucked for taking Aaron Hernandez and not doing due diligence on him.
And I don't think that's going to be the only time.
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