Originally Posted By: GiveMeAVowel
If you look at how the refs called the "Stupor Bowl" there is NOT question that the game was rigged from the start. PLENTY OF OBVIOUSLY BAD CALLS THAT APPEARED TO BE DELIBERATE.
That being said I don't care about pro sports anyhow but this kind of evidence proves that the NFL is the WWE of football.
I think saying the game was rigged is sort of ridiculous. Sorry, but it just is. People can talk about bad ref's or ref's with a bias sure( they can do that in any sport/game )but to say it was rigged implies a conspiracy to a level I just can't accept. Also, clearly you are implying it was rigged to allow Denver and Peyton Manning to win. I actually felt the bad and non calls favored the losing team; Carolina. By quite a margin actually. For the game to be rigged in Denver's favor it would have to be the other way around.
2 things really stood out to me as far as calls and non calls go that actually helped Carolina stay as close as they did....
1 - that crazy taunting penalty against Talib(DEN) that gave Carolina 15 yds they did not earn and extended a drive( called on 3rd down ). It didn't end up helping Carolina score but it did give them an extra set of downs instead of making them punt. It also meant they were 20+ yards further along when they did punt which put Denver further back. I haven't got a clue what the ref was thinking there? Both Talib and the Carolina player were going at each other equally. Both shoving and jawing away. Never saw a "taunt" by either side. It was nuts.
2 - There weren't ANY holding calls against Carolina( O-Line ). Not one. 3 False start penalties so they were watching the line but to not call holding the entire game against Carolina is ridiculous. I can't remember the last time I saw so many blatant holds not called? Not making those calls really impacted the game. It "could'( not would )have been a blow out.
When a pass rusher gets past the O-Lineman blocking him and then seems to almost be stuck running in place and/or is leaning backward as they try and run forward there is only one reason = he is being held onto. Denver got hit with holding( O-Line )but not once for Carolina despite them being desperate to slow the Denver pass rush down and being over matched which ALWAYS leads to holding calls.
Denver could have had a dozen+ sacks if not for all the holding not called. It was like the ref's felt bad for Newton getting hit so much and turned a blind eye to the holding.
As far as things going against Carolina. I saw 2 things go against Carolina fans have a right to gripe about. I also saw one thing though Carolina fans are complaining about that was actually called correctly by the ref's...
1 - The pass competition over turned via replay. That was a really close one and it surprised me it was over turned. I personally do not feel the WR had control of the ball long enough, under the modern rules and how they are enforced, to let it stand as a completion but thought sure it would. With that said I think it was caught and held onto long enough before he started bobbling it on the way to the ground. I think the rules require holding it way too long now. So was it a catch? IMO yes but according to the rules it was very close but probably should have stayed a catch because replay was inconclusive that he maintained control all the way to the ground without it touching.
2 - PI. I saw one really blatant PI not called against Denver. It should have been no doubt. I have no issue with the called PI's and defensive holds, or the non calls made in the game, though for both sides. I think the ref's let a lot go for both sides, unless it was really blatant, as fans should want = let the players play. That one PI non call though should have drawn a flag. Just as the defensive holding called against Carolina down near the goal line late was the right call throwing the PI flag against Denver would have been too.
The thing I am seeing Carolina fans, and even actual Carolina players, gripe about that was handled correctly by the ref's was the hit on Newton late in the game where he had a hissy fit no flag was thrown.
Defensive players, after the QB has passed the ball, are allowed by rule one step towards the QB and still be able to hit him. If it takes more than one step to get to the QB and they hit him it is a late hit. Defenders going full tilt can't be expected to just haul up short when they are already on top of the QB because he managed to get the ball away a fraction of a second before they get to him. At the least they deserve that one step cushion and even that at times isn't granted like it should be.
The Denver defender( think it was Wolfe but? )took one step and one step only after the ball was thrown and then wrapped Newton up and tackled him. Totally legal and in accordance with league rules. The ref's did not miss it or just let it go. QB's are over protected these days. It is getting so you can't even look at them without drawing a flag. Good on the ref's for not throwing a flag on a play that was 100% legal.
