Just after Cooper Pratt puts the Brewers three outs from the title and the end of baseball as we know it, here's
Jake's Top 10 Most Rigged Plays.
Especially this week, keep in mind: Jake usually DOES NOT TOUCH the officiating. (For the record, I said this before I started the video.) These are the slop plays and doinks.
Overlay: Chicago-New England. A slop play that made the online trending rolls over the course of Sunday, so no real secret Jake would pick it up.
10) Rams-Raiders. 14-3 Rams, about four minutes to go in the first half, Rams threatening.
Puka Nacua catches it, two Raiders fall at his feet, the third doesn't even try.
9) Giants-Texans. The Skattebo flag referenced earlier. Well, he at least got the refs once! This may be the first time this season he's actually gone after the refs!!!
And no, Jake, running backs are NOT allowed to battering ram with their helmets. That's been a problem and a league discussion for a number of years now. Skattebo should've been ejected for a flagrant on that hit.
Gone ARE the former days, as you said.
8) Bears-Patriots, and I don't think this is the play he overlaid. 13-7 Bears, three and a half to go in the first half, Patriots at the Bears 15, first and 10.
Maye, right to the Bears defender, who has the better position to catch the ball than the receiver behind him.
Bears drove 80 yards before the half, and that was basically ballgame.
7) Packers-Lions. Hoo boy, here we go. Does he go after the refs again?
He starts here: 17-all, 4:55 to go, Lions have the ball at their own 23 and THEY GO FOR IT ON FOURTH AND 1. (Actually, the better part of two yards!)
I know the Lions coach is gutsy, but that takes a LOT of nuts to go for it in that situation, especially with Jordan Love on the other side!
Snap, handoff in the backfield. Stopped for a loss of 2. The Packers have the ball at the 21 of Detroit in a tie game.
This one, at least, is Jake ranting at Campbell's decision to go for it, because of the fact of the game situation -- and, in this case, maybe not as a rigged consideration, he's RIGHT! I get that Campbell has stones, but that should've cost the Lions DEARLY.
Instead: Run for nothing, short pass, tries for the end zone, field goal is missed, the Packers don't see the ball again.
Second play: The Roughing the Passer call on Brenton Cox seen in the other post. 4:09 to go in the 3rd, Lions up 17-14, 3rd and 10.
And Cox hits Goff a MILE late for the 15.
Third and fourth play: The missed field goal which was the last play the Packers saw the ball. And the first video, the opening drive ending in a 26-yard chip shot for the Packers -- missed. And NEITHER was even a doink, both inside of 40 yards.
And I get it, Jake: The Packers certainly didn't execute when they had to. That, however, said: There is what I now call the Sacramento Kings Principle. That the situation gets so far in your head (like the 2002 NBA Western Conference Finals) that you can't execute anything.
And it doesn't change the fact that someone could find five plays, if not more (OTHER THAN the Cox RTP call -- which is also included in many complaints), in which it was clear the officiating was one way and for a very definitive reason that anyone could know about it they paid attention.
This is why some of us believe the players DO sometimes get told beforehand. And I think the Packers kicker did here.
6) More special-teams shenanigans, and it's time for Muff Punt City. Buccaneers-Panthers. Last minute of the first quarter, 7-0 Tampa, punting from about midfield.
David Moore with a BAD muff, Bucs get the ball inside the Carolina 20. Only can get a field goal for 10-0.
When you are a professional, there is an expectation that you can actually, oh I don't know... CATCH THE DAMN BALL.
5) And NOW it's time for Return of the Doink, and Jake found FOUR this week! So that's 18 for the year for something which might've happened 1-2 times a year before the ol' Double Doink got so much traction.
So hit his music.
1. Bears-Patriots 27-21 Bears, about 8 minutes to go in the game, Cairo Santos from 53...
Can't say a magnet on that first one, because the ball was already travelling in a fair line to glance off the upright. That, comparatively, was a pretty clean flight.
For that to be a magnet kick, a lot more than the "poles" would have to have magnets.
2. The same can't be said for the extra point in Falcons-49ers. 14-9 49ers after a Falcons touchdown, about 8 to go in the first half....
And that Nick Folk kick had a DEFINITE lurch in its flight.
3. Browns-Titans. 17-14 Cleveland, about a minute into the fourth, and Andre Smzyt lines up from 43...
And I won't go magnets on this one either -- HOWEVER, I WILL go another rigaroni with a side of baloney. It looked like Smzyt aimed it right at the upright, and was true as rain in finding it! Because that looked like the ball was kicked with the intention of it smacking off the upright.
4. Jets-Dolphins. 21-7 Dolphins, start of the 3rd quarter...
And Jason Sanders isn't CLOSE on this 43-yarder. In fact, if you want to make a magnet call, that was to actually get it to smack off the upright. That kick was missed the moment it left his foot, and somehow drifted for the conk.
4) Back to Giants-Texans, back to Cam Skattebo. 14-14, first drive of the second half, Giants in the red zone.
Jake tries to claim the line for Houston is defrauding the play, but they're just getting blocked. It's clear SOMEONE in the league is pushing Skattebo.
What should more get this play on the list was Skattebo just bouncing off the second fake tackle attempt in the secondary, and both the false tacklers running into each other to clear Skattebo.
And a possible unnecessary cheap shot by Skattebo after he scores as a result.
3) Back to 49ers-Falcons. 2:42 in the 4th, 26-20 Falcons, 49ers at about midfield, 3rd and 9 after a penalty.
OK, the linebacker had to jump, but, as Jake points out, didn't Brock Purdy almost eyeball that very same linebacker, Kendal Daniels? And threw it where the guy could make a play... And he probably made reference to a fake tackle attempt too on the return, but it was deemed that's what pushed him out of bounds.
The field goal to seal it ensued.
2) Giants-Texans for the third time. Devin Singletary wins it in overtime...
... with a run that at least three Texans whiffed on and two of them took each other out.
1) And back to Patriots-Bears for the third time. And this was the overlay play.
And it's the play that went viral, and, as a result, Jake nominates this for the Most Rigged Play of the Season so far.
1st and 10 New England at the Bears 48. Last play of the first half, 20-7 Chicago.
Now you would THINK Chicago would be ready for this play, since it has to go into the end zone.
A pass somehow out into the flat is caught, one Bears defender chasing Rhamondre Stevenson.
Jake states team-wide instruction on this play.
- 21 can't get to him. Jake claims he probably could've.
- As often happens in these slop plays, two defensive players (6 and 31) take each other out.
- 1 goes low and whiffs.
- And 24 just completely derps the play to ensure Stevenson scores for 20-14 at the half.
And we will see you tomorrow night. 3 outs from glory after a home run, and you can't get one.
That's the kind of stuff, Milwaukee, which can start something.
For Moosie... :(
