Re: NFL - Week 9
...Officiating was for the most part good in that they let both teams play, but the few flags they threw were a little one-sided. The hit on Hines should have been a personal foul ... head to head ... they called it later on the Steelers ... a few things like that. Don't get me wrong, I am not blaming the officiating on the Steeler's loosing ... the Steeler's lost the game because they couldn't stop the Ravens in the last 2 minutes...
On that note, i will say the official on the field did fine. The hit Ray Lewis gave Hines Ward shouldn't be a penalty, it was a good hard hit. Ryan Clark's shouldn't have been either. The field guys missed the push off on the winning TD, because they were watching the slight contact from the Steelers before it. Neither should have been call, and the end result was the winning touchdown.
I have to point out that on 3 of the 4 booth reviews, the replay official got it WRONG. Hines Ward had the control of the ball after he was hit, his butt touched (play is over at that point) and then after his back touched, all the way to the ground, when the fender's thigh knocked it out. Complete pass, as ruled on the field. The replay guy got it wrong. The challenege the Steelers lost, the ball was loose, hit the ground, and that pushed it back up into the Raven's player's arm, thus aiding him in the catch. Replay official got it wrong (so did the official on the field). I forget the 3rd one they got wrong on replay. I certainly hope the NFL Director of Officiating reviews the film and reprimands the replay official. The only one he got right was that Ben's knee was down before the ball crossed the line.
And yes, the Steelers lost because they could not stop the last two minutes, but the replays directly lead to 3 points for the Raven. it should have been tied at the end of regultaion, not a Ravens win.
Sadly the NFL will probably not admit their mistakes.
