The Challenge That Wasn't

[superfan]

Can anyone shed any light on the play where the KC player went OB around the GB 2 and appeared to fumble into the end zone? I was watching without audio and it was difficult to tell if that possibly could have been overruled if McCarthy had challenged.

Thoughts?

[Harlan Huckleby]

it probably was a touchback. Maybe this is case where away team has poorer replay facility. NFL should correct that.

[Joemailman]

Looked like it would have been ruled a touchback. Probably couldn't be seen from the sideline, so there would have had to be communication from upstairs. Hawk caught it, but I don't know if he communicated anything to the sidelines.

[superfan]

Thanks for the feedback. Looked like McCarthy had his hand on the flag and nearly through it, but decided not to at the last second. Oh well, one of many things that went wrong in this game.

[Joemailman]

Thanks for the feedback. Looked like McCarthy had his hand on the flag and nearly through it, but decided not to at the last second. Oh well, one of many things that went wrong in this game.

I think they're saying that MM might have been a bit too late. Chiefs had already snapped the ball.

[Fosco33]

To me - when Matthews was screaming for a touchback - you watch one replay and throw the flag.

Add in a missed FG by Mason and the Pack would have led 17-16. We also probably don't go for it on 4th/8...

[vince]

McCarthy said in his post-game press conference that they saw the replay and thought the foot was out before the fumble so he didn't challenge it. I thought so too at the time, but later in the game it was replayed in super slo-mo and it looked like the ball may have started to come out just before the foot went down out of bounds. That could have changed the complexion of the game, but that play is the least of the reasons for the loss.

[mission]

McCarthy said in his post-game press conference that they saw the replay and thought the foot was out before the fumble so he didn't challenge it. I thought so too at the time, but later in the game it was replayed in super slo-mo and it looked like the ball may have started to come out just before the foot went down out of bounds. That could have changed the complexion of the game, but that play is the least of the reasons for the loss.

He's challenged a lot of crap before that wasn't even close. You'd think he would have there.

[ND72]

As soon as Woodson, Matthews and hawk are yelling challenge, at that point, what did they have to lose. Was really flustered by that.

[Bretsky]

no brainer to challenge that if it's remotely close

[pbmax]

As soon as Woodson, Matthews and hawk are yelling challenge, at that point, what did they have to lose. Was really flustered by that.

I saw Hawk gesturing, but not Wood or Matthews. Still, were any of those guys in a position to see whether his foot was out of bounds first? I think they simply knew that the ball had gone out of the endzone and I think the coaches knew that.

It would have been a clean win, but until the last replay near the end of the game by Fox, I thought he went out of bounds first.

[MadtownPacker]

it probably was a touchback. Maybe this is case where away team has poorer replay facility. NFL should correct that.
The chiefs deserved to win. Crying only makes you appears like Harlan.

[Deputy Nutz]

The Chief beat the piss out of the Packers today, one challenge wasn't going to turn around the attitude of the Packers

[denverYooper]

He's challenged a lot of crap before that wasn't even close. You'd think he would have there.

Agree. Especially the way things were going today.

Oh well. It was one of those days were everyone laid an egg.

[gbgary]

mm failed on that very important play.

[mission]

Agree. Especially the way things were going today.

Oh well. It was one of those days were everyone laid an egg.

Yeah, I'm almost at peace with it. Hope it serves as a wake up.

[denverYooper]

mm failed on that very important play.

The weird thing was that he had gone for the 59 yard FG and went for it on 4th and 8. He was aggressive at times, but not when it would have helped.

[gbgary]

did mm address this? he's got to admit he blew it.

[smuggler]

I saw it live, and it was definitely a touchback. I was confused why it took Moose and Kevin Harlan so long to figure it out. As for MM, that's a challenge we'd usually make at home, with the benefit of multiviews.

It might have made a difference, but getting whipped a bit and losing one is worth more in the long run that one more meaningless W.

[mraynrand]

I did a screen capture that shows the toe being just off the white line, while the ball is just still touching the tip of the receiver's fingers. If the official on the field sees this in this detail, he could call it a touchback. However, with any less rigor, it's very easy to convince yourself that the ball didn't come 'completely free' (that is, the receiver still has 'control') before he stepped out. I was screaming for Stubby to throw the challenge flag right away (a very similar thing happened in a Vikings/Packers game in '96, except that in that case IIRC the ball was punched out of Robert Brook's hand and through the back of the endzone by a defender).

Anyway, I think there was a pretty good chance the officials would have stuck with the ruling on the field. But I wanted Stubby to throw the flag.

[smuggler]

Your screen capture was after he'd bobbled it and was trying to corrall it back in. I can understand why they missed it, but there was no doubt.

[Joemailman]

did mm address this? he's got to admit he blew it.

MM said he thought the guy had stepped out of bounds so he didn't challenge. If coaches threw the challenge flag every time one of their players wanted them to, there would be a lot more unsuccessful challenges. It may well be that he didn't get word from upstairs to challenge until it was too late.

[smuggler]

I forgot that all he has to do is touch it for an instant while he's got a foot out of bounds to have it be down. Maybe it was a good thing we didn't challenge, I have to see it again...

[mmmdk]

Stubby had the red flag buried too deep in his ass pocket - watch the film - he simply didn't dig deep enough and time ran out.

[swede]

Stubby had the red flag buried too deep in his ass pocket - watch the film - he simply didn't dig deep enough and time ran out.

If he'd dug deeper and pulled harder do you think stubby throws green and gold boxers or briefs onto the field?

I'm thinking boxers.

[George Cumby]

If he'd dug deeper and pulled harder do you think stubby throws green and gold boxers or briefs onto the field?

I'm thinking boxers.

He's a forward-thinking guy: Boxer-briefs.

[swede]

He's a forward-thinking guy: Boxer-briefs.

Good call.

[mmmdk]

If he'd dug deeper and pulled harder do you think stubby throws green and gold boxers or briefs onto the field?

I'm thinking boxers.

Yup, spot on! :lol:

[denverYooper]

In the presser, M3 said he wished he had thrown it in hindsight and took responsibility for not throwing. Said it looked like Pope's foot was out initially and he didn't chance it at the time b/c he thought they might need the timeouts and he felt they'd need all of them. He felt like they'd be looking at "a 2 minute situation".

[Guiness]

He's a forward-thinking guy: Boxer-briefs.

Nah, hate those things. Not loose enough where you want them to be, and tight and constricting around the legs, too. The worst of both worlds!

[MadtownPacker]

In the presser, M3 said he wished he had thrown it in hindsight and took responsibility for not throwing. Said it looked like Pope's foot was out initially and he didn't chance it at the time b/c he thought they might need the timeouts and he felt they'd need all of them. He felt like they'd be looking at "a 2 minute situation".
He should have said "fuck all of you, we won the SB and we are gonna go for another one!"

[George Cumby]

Nah, hate those things. Not loose enough where you want them to be, and tight and constricting around the legs, too. The worst of both worlds!

I hate the bunching of standard boxers in inconvenient places, though on the other hand, I find briefs to be too restraining and constricting.

I find that the boxer-briefs provide the best of both worlds: freedom of movement but the comforting squeeze of just enough compression in all the right places.