Official NFC Playoffs Standings Thread - Week 6

[smuggler]

I like Nantz, but Phill Simms is always toeing a whiskey buzz the entire game and it makes him pretty bad.

[Maxie the Taxi]

Simms is too quick to go along with the officiating. Last night a 49er I think made a head/neck tackle and was flagged for a facemask. Before the replay, Simms immediately said it was a good call. In the replay it was clear that the tackler got no piece of the facemask. Simms hesitated, then said something like "Yeah, there you have it. He grabbed the ear hole of the helmet."

I didn't see any earhole grab, but even if there was one, is that a penalty now? And is the earhole part of the facemask?

[Fritz]

I heard Phil Simms likes it in the earhole.

I do like Jim Nantz, though. He seems a little bit at times like a throwback to the old days, when announcers sounded a bit more neutral and really just called the action of the game. Unfortunatly - and I wonder if it's the producers - at a certain point he begins to indulge in silliness and gets sidelined, as well, by Simms.

[sharpe1027]

Simms is too quick to go along with the officiating. Last night a 49er I think made a head/neck tackle and was flagged for a facemask. Before the replay, Simms immediately said it was a good call. In the replay it was clear that the tackler got no piece of the facemask. Simms hesitated, then said something like "Yeah, there you have it. He grabbed the ear hole of the helmet."

I didn't see any earhole grab, but even if there was one, is that a penalty now? And is the earhole part of the facemask?

Technically, I think that would be unnecessary roughness, but it has the same result.

Penalty: For unnecessary roughness: Loss of 15 yards. The player may be disqualified if the action is
judged by the official(s) to be flagrant.
Note: If in doubt about a roughness call or potentially dangerous tactics, the covering official(s) should always
call unnecessary roughness.
A.R. 12.17 Third-and-20 on A30. Runner A1 runs to the A33, where he is tackled by B1, who hooks his fingers under the
front of the runner’s helmet, but not his facemask, and forcibly twists his head.
Ruling: 15 yards for unnecessary roughness. It is an automatic first down. A’s ball first-and-10 on A48.

http://www.nfl.com/static/content/pu...er_Conduct.pdf

[Maxie the Taxi]

I heard Phil Simms likes it in the earhole.

I do like Jim Nantz, though. He seems a little bit at times like a throwback to the old days, when announcers sounded a bit more neutral and really just called the action of the game. Unfortunatly - and I wonder if it's the producers - at a certain point he begins to indulge in silliness and gets sidelined, as well, by Simms.

Ray Scott will always be the standard of excellence for me. Nantz is reminiscent of Scott. Simms is a walking cliche. IMO.

[Maxie the Taxi]

Technically, I think that would be unnecessary roughness, but it has the same result.



http://www.nfl.com/static/content/pu...er_Conduct.pdf

IMO, the ref just missed the call. The replay showed no "twists" of the helmet, only the tacklers fingers raking across the facemask, but not grabbing it. Whether or not the tackler's fingers actually penetrated the earhole is for a judge and jury (or Fritz) to decide.

The bigger question is: How the hell is an official supposed to judge whether a finger catches in an earhole or if it's just the pressure of a tacker's hand on the helmet?

If the rules keep going this way, the NFL would do better for itself by just outlawing any contact of the hand on the helmet. If not, the blizzard of yellow flags will be even greater than it is now. I think the NFL right now is walking on the edge of calling a penalty every series which can be a game-changer. And a lot of these penalties right now are ticktacky. It's hurting my enjoyment of the games. It's getting worse than the NBA, where fouls are virtually arbitrary.

[sharpe1027]

IMO, the ref just missed the call. The replay showed no "twists" of the helmet, only the tacklers fingers raking across the facemask, but not grabbing it. Whether or not the tackler's fingers actually penetrated the earhole is for a judge and jury (or Fritz) to decide.

The bigger question is: How the hell is an official supposed to judge whether a finger catches in an earhole or if it's just the pressure of a tacker's hand on the helmet?

If the rules keep going this way, the NFL would do better for itself by just outlawing any contact of the hand on the helmet. If not, the blizzard of yellow flags will be even greater than it is now. I think the NFL right now is walking on the edge of calling a penalty every series which can be a game-changer. And a lot of these penalties right now are ticktacky. It's hurting my enjoyment of the games. It's getting worse than the NBA, where fouls are virtually arbitrary.

So you think someone getting their hand inside the helmet and yanking it as hard as they want should not be a penalty? Just don't touch the facemask! Seems like a legitimate thing to flag. The rule is: "any player who grabs a helmet opening of an opponent and forcibly twists, turns, or pulls his head."

It was probably the wrong call here if there was no forcible twist or obvious grabbing of the earhole. They just got it wrong. It happens.

[mraynrand]

Detroit sports talk radio, and the fans that call in, never cease to amaze me. After the Arizona game the whole town wanted Stafford out, Lombardi (offensive coordinator) fired, Martin Mayhew fired.

After the Bears game, they're talking playoffs.

That's kinda how I remember it in Packerland in the 70s and 80s, except more extreme: Pass for a first down, and you're in the playoffs. Punting? - you'll never win another game. The roller coaster bipolar Packer experience.

[Maxie the Taxi]

So you think someone getting their hand inside the helmet and yanking it as hard as they want should not be a penalty? Just don't touch the facemask! Seems like a legitimate thing to flag. The rule is: "any player who grabs a helmet opening of an opponent and forcibly twists, turns, or pulls his head."

It was probably the wrong call here if there was no forcible twist or obvious grabbing of the earhole. They just got it wrong. It happens.

I'm saying hands on the helmet should either be outlawed or allowed. I don't think it's really possible for a ref to tell if a helmet "twist" is due to a full hand on the side of the helmet or a pinky in the earhole. Or they could redesign the helmet and the earhole and the issue would be moot. Do you think the rule is really talking about earholes, or the actual face opening in front?

[pbmax]

That's kinda how I remember it in Packerland in the 70s and 80s, except more extreme: Pass for a first down, and you're in the playoffs. Punting? - you'll never win another game. The roller coaster bipolar Packer experience.

There is a segment of all fan populations that do this regardless of actual results.

[sharpe1027]

I'm saying hands on the helmet should either be outlawed or allowed. I don't think it's really possible for a ref to tell if a helmet "twist" is due to a full hand on the side of the helmet or a pinky in the earhole. Or they could redesign the helmet and the earhole and the issue would be moot. Do you think the rule is really talking about earholes, or the actual face opening in front?

The rule just says "opening" so it probably means the earhole too.

The rule allows the ref some discretion if they just happen to graze the helmet with their hand, but don't grab onto something. I like that they can ignore incidental stuff as the rule currently is written. If they change it to any contact that causes a twist, you'll just get more flags. There will be wrong calls, but if you are taking a guy down by twisting his helmet, I don't have much sympathy if the ref makes the wrong call once in awhile.

Also, just a pinky probably wouldn't qualify as forcible.

[mraynrand]

I heard Phil Simms likes it in the earhole.

Watch out for your earhole, bud.

[Cheesehead Craig]

I heard Phil Simms likes it in the earhole.

The earhole. Isn't that the name of the University of Nebraska's football stadium?