Patriot-Panther Call Correct?

[pbmax]

http://www.patspulpit.com/2013/11/19/5121100/rules-breaking-down-the-final-play

By definition, could not be Illegal Contact or D Holding after the ball is thrown and Brady has left the pocket.

PI allows the contact if the ball is uncatchable.

[MadScientist]

http://www.patspulpit.com/2013/11/19...the-final-play

By definition, could not be Illegal Contact or D Holding after the ball is thrown and Brady has left the pocket.

PI allows the contact if the ball is uncatchable.

Was it uncatchable because the ball was underthrown and Gronk's route took him too deep, or was in uncatchable because Gronk was ridden past the point were he could cut back and make a play on the ball. Tough call, but Gronk did not look like he was trying to cut back hard to the ball, so I don't think he had a chance to catch it even without the defender. His momentum was too strong to the back line. So I think it was the correct call, though a PI call would not have been blatantly wrong.

[Teamcheez1]

If it had been a Packers defender in the end zone, it would have been called.

[pbmax]

I am stunned they picked it up because no one (except the home crowd) would have blamed them for calling it.

But I don't think Gronk gets in front of the Panther to catch it. He perhaps could have gotten a hand on the defender to break it up.

[bobblehead]

I thought it was uncatchable. Gronk took the route deep, no way I believe he could have gotten back to the ball. Momentum was already heading the wrong way. I don't like seeing a ref call a "judgement" call with game on the line, I was glad they picked the flag up....however, as a packer fan rooting for the wildcard, I wanted the call to stand.

[TravisWilliams23]

https://v.cdn.vine.co/r/videos/3C9D62FCF71014441809868648448_1db4602076b.4.3.18227762040472141049_4qCbw1no2k..bQDfM8ef1haZzL3YGKBtl6HnIGleLMoqFfnw6fEc13lG6CvsGoMc.mp4?versionId=vKqo_kn7.c4ZJZvsm7qD0XzqJGEeaaRL

That's PI. Balls in the air and Kuechly shoves Gronk away from the ball without looking back at the ball. Doesn't matter if the game is on the line, it's pass interference. Ref's made a "home team" call by picking up the flag.

[woodbuck27]

Article 2:

Prohibited Acts:

(a) Contact by a player who is not playing the ball that restricts the opponent’s opportunity to make the catch.

(c) Grabbing an opponent’s arm(s) in such a manner that restricts his opportunity to catch a pass.

(d) Extending an arm across the body of an opponent, thus restricting his ability to catch a pass, and regardless of whether the player committing such act is playing the ball.

(e) Cutting off the path of an opponent by making contact with him, without playing the ball.

So it's clear that Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly violated the above four rulings on pass interference, at the very least.

Except:

Article 3:


Permissible Acts:

(c) Contact that would normally be considered pass interference, but the pass is clearly uncatchable by the involved players.

And therein lies the question. Was the pass catchable?

The back judge closest to the play threw the flag, so I think he'd have a fairly good idea. Add in the fact that Gronkowski started to get mugged at the rough location the ball landed, and you have my thought on whether or not that was catchable.

But that's the discussion and that's the call that the refs had to make at the time.

Comment woodbuck27:

Therein lies the correct call. IMO a PI penalty should have been called. See above... " Gronkowski started to get mugged at the rough location the ball landed. "

The Pat's 'at least' deserved one more chance or looking at it another way the Carolina Panthers had to win the game fairly by making one more stop.

It sure looked to me like the officials made the right call for the home team and crowd.....again. The safe call was made.

That sucks.

[Patler]

I didn't see the play, and it isn't clear from the photo, but could he have stepped on or over the end line? If he did, I think it is automatically considered uncatchable to him, and P.I. doesn't apply to him.

[red]

i think its uncatchable because the ball would have physically had to go through the panther defender that was standing between gronk and the ball

there is no way that gronk would have been able to get in front of the guy that picked off the pass

[pbmax]

Not only would the ball have had to be missed by the safety, but Gronkowski would have had to fight through Kuechly, PI or not.

Gronkowski essentially gives up on the ball. He presents no resistance or fight through Kuechly. The only guy to make a play on the ball is the safety. Saying Kuechly mugged him is simply misleading. Gronk didn't resist and Kuechly basely needed to touch him.

[woodbuck27]

I didn't see the play, and it isn't clear from the photo, but could he have stepped on or over the end line? If he did, I think it is automatically considered uncatchable to him, and P.I. doesn't apply to him.

Here`s the LINK to this controversial call by the officials:

http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/2013111800/2013/REG11/patriots@panthers#menu=highlights&tab=recap

Please Click on `Brady has words with Ref.....`

Brady`s throw is picked by Panther safety Robert Lester as Gronk was held and held out of the play by Panther MLB Luke Kuechly.

How does Gronk react back towords the ball (the throw) when he`s being held and forced to the back of the end zone by MLB Luke Kuechly? The hold by Kuechly on Gronkowski is obvious and prolonged until the interception in the end zone is made.

The prolonged hold is obvious. Whether without that hold Gronk could have gotten back to the ball is moot as he was being held.

How could it be positively determined that Gronk couldn`t have recovered back to the throw and ball if not held? That flag was thrown because of an obvious PI. That should have been upheld given the effort put forward by the New England Patriots to recover and win that game.

The Patriots were denied one last play and that wasn`r correct.

[pbmax]

It can be positively determined that he never could get back to the ball because he did not even try to fight through Kuechly. He doesn't shove him, move twist or drive into him. Its the weakest of touches.

[Patler]

Thanks for the link Woodbuck. It doesn't appear that he was ever anywhere close to stepping out.

[Bretsky]

It can be positively determined that he never could get back to the ball because he did not even try to fight through Kuechly. He doesn't shove him, move twist or drive into him. Its the weakest of touches.

They screwed up; Gronk should have made the call easy though. Hoody should have him doing punishment pushups in the rain for hours.

They had the former head of NFL refs on NFL Network. He noted this was an easy call. The ball was nowhere near far enough away, in his interpretation, to label it as uncatchable the way the refs are trained. It was a botched call in his view and there should not be much debate with the way the refs are supposed to interpret this.

[Patler]

It can be positively determined that he never could get back to the ball because he did not even try to fight through Kuechly. He doesn't shove him, move twist or drive into him. Its the weakest of touches.

That was my first impression. If he had tried to come back and fallen over the defender, the call might have gone the other way. He didn't appear to even try.