Whenever we get a situation like what took place, especially in the 2019 NFC Championship Game, people will tend to laugh at people like me (sports conspiracy theorists) and believe the games they see on the air are legitimate contests.
And I look at them, frankly, as if they grew a horn in the middle of their head like a unicorn.
Because I cannot, for the life of me, understand in any degree of a concept how you can be so blind as to not see it laid out before you like a buffet.
Let's start in the NFC game:
Larry Brown Sports delinates that there were bad calls both ways in the game, defending the game's legitimacy.
The main one that most Rams fans will point to is a clear facemask by AJ Klein on a scrambling Jared Goff with 6:49 to go in the game.
They're right. Los Angeles should've gotten 4 shots from about the 1.
There's one problem with their argument, and it's what LA eventually did with 5:03 to go.
Down 20-17, 4th and goal from a foot out. After enough deliberation that they took a delay of game penalty eventually, they decide to take the tying field goal.
Many analysts would say this made sense, to take the points to tie the game. There are two problems with this argument:
- How many more things can go wrong on a field goal (of any length) than can go wrong with a quarterback sneak of the proverbial "get in behind the center and guard and keep pushing and pushing until they put six points up on the board" like John Madden used to say? Remembering they only needed about a foot...
- Regardless of the situation, Los Angeles was going to need a stop on the next drive anyway.
So the Saints get the ball, and their strategy is apparently clear to a certain extent -- they are probably, at least for a time, playing to be the last team with the ball. With the Rams offense, this would make sense.
And it appeared to have succeeded. A long pass at the two-minute warning from Drew Brees to AJ Ginn put the ball on the Rams 13 with 1:58 to go and the Rams with only two timeouts.
But then the trouble starts...
First down: Brees attempts to throw a screen pass, but throws low to Michael Thomas, effectively giving the Rams a free timeout.
Second down: Alvin Kamara gains nothing. At least the Rams are forced to take one of their two timeouts.
But then the call that many believed rigged the Super Bowl:
Third down: Drew Brees throws a pass to the right at Tommylee Lewis... (Thank you, Brian for the correction.)
Nickell Robey-Coleman commits a fine-able offense on this play. He clearly knocks down Lewis with an unnecessary shot to Lewis' helmet, whether or not it was actually pass interference, based on the position of the ball. It is clear he has committed some sort of penalty. It's also clear that Robey-Coleman is looking for the well-earned flag which never came.
This would've given the Saints the ball with the ability to largely (if not completely) run out the clock on the Rams, and win the game on a short field goal.
Instead, they are forced to kick a 31 yard field goal to give the Rams the ball with one timeout and 1:40 left, down 23-20.
--
The Rams get the ball and a quick first down.
But FOX all but tells you the game is going to overtime.
The Rams have one of the most potent offenses in NFL history again. There is no reason not to believe, until what FOX then shows, that the Rams could score a winning touchdown in the time remaining.
But, at least twice, the FOX broadcast cuts to Greg Zeurlein on the sidelines. It is clear to anyone paying attention what is about to happen. The drive eventually stalls with about 20 seconds to go, forcing Zeurlein to come in and attempt a 48 yard field goal.
One of the major theories Brian has had this year has been that the goalposts are magnetized with strong magnets to manipulate the flight of the ball. Tuohy has pointed out at least one last-second field goal for the Baltimore kicker which was missed in such a manner.
Watch this tying field-goal and tell me you don't think the ball's flight was changed:
— NFL (@NFL) January 20, 2019That ball is veering wide right until a fairly-sudden turn to the left.
--
Overtime, and the home team wins the toss.
Second down, and a blatant hold and throw-down pass interference on the Rams is called, except with one problem.
The final part of the foul, where the receiver was rendered completely unable to catch the pass, was on the New Orleans 45.
The ball is spotted on the New Orleans 40.
Then, Alvin Kamara is stuffed on the next first-down play. However, after the Rams defender, who believes forward progress was stopped, and (correctly for player safety) ends the play, pushes Kamara away, Kamara, not hearing a whistle, attempts to continue the play, and the loss is six yards instead of two.
Second and 16, and here's the one I point to. A lot of people talk about the Thomas call, and they're right.
This one, a blatant pass interference by John Johnson of the Rams, may have been even WORSE!!
The pass is overthrown, but not blatantly. The reason I say that is that Johnson has to not only knock over Michael Thomas (AGAIN!), but also then push off of the falling Thomas to get to the overthrown ball for the pick.The @RamsNFL defense forces the INTERCEPTION!— NFL (@NFL) January 20, 2019
Huge turnover in OT. #LARams #NFLPlayoffs
📺: #LARvsNO on FOX pic.twitter.com/Bn54AaPEBR
One first down later, and the Rams are in the Super Bowl with a 57 yard field goal by Zeurlein.
It is so obvious that something happened that Michael Thomas may, in fact, be endangering his NFL career today...
Rule 17 Section 2 Article 3 @NFL 💔⚜️— Michael Thomas (@Cantguardmike) January 21, 2019
For those who don't get the reference, Rule 17 Section 2 Article 3 of the NFL Rulebook is a statement that the Commissioner has the ability to remedy "Unfair Acts".Hey Roger pick up the phone.— Michael Thomas (@Cantguardmike) January 21, 2019
When a call of this nature (which the head of NFL Officiating is already reported to tell the Saints' coach Greg Payton was in error) is made in soccer, the sanctioning body often orders a replay of the game to some extent.
When the umpires erroneously called George Brett out in the Pine Tar Game, it led to a replay of the bottom of the ninth inning. (Which Billy Martin immediately led to farce.)
Michael Thomas, and rightly, believes the NFL should reverse the result of the contest.
They won't.
This was not a mistake. The NFL rigged this game for the Los Angeles Experiment and the probable creation of the New LA Showtime.
I'll do the AFC game later.That's what building a multi-billion dollar palace to the NFL will get you: a gifted Super Bowl berth.— Brian Tuohy (@TheFixIsInTuohy) January 20, 2019
When that pass interference wasn't called on NO's last drive of regulation, I thought of you. That game was blatantly rigged, but nobody is talking about that.
ReplyDeleteI actually posted for a bit in the New Orleans Saints Reddit forum after the game, not realizing the magnitude of the call in the 4th quarter -- I was already up in arms over the overtime no-call.
DeleteThere was a person who claimed his father was on the chain gang for the game as the "down judge" -- and that the person who posted said he sent his father a text to get the Hell out of the uniform he was wearing, that New Orleans was going up over the no-calls.
The NFC needs to practice scripting their games better.Not practice for the actual game.Two weeks ago Philly jumped out to a lead and then forgot they were playing till Jeffries dropped that catch.Then Sunday same thing.Saints go up 13-0 and forget they're playing a football game.Did they get Fucked on the non call?Perhaps the biggest blatent Fuck this side of a daisy chain.But let's see what the TV ratings were.All about the bling.
ReplyDeleteRams-Saints was largely a push over last year (24.5 rating vs. 24.3 last year, both right at about 44 million viewers).
DeletePatriots-Chiefs got 10 million more viewers and about 10% higher rating (27.5 this year vs. 24.3 last year), and last year's got 44.1 million viewers.
Now I don't know if this is the Honky Tonk Man Effect (you watch to see the asshole lose), but if this is pure ratings, the Patriots would appear a solid pick for February 3.
I've got another angle I'm looking it, though.
(Source for ratings: Sports Media Watch)