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OPI Call On George Kittle In Super Bowl - Correct? (1 Viewer)

Was The OPI Call On George Kittle In Super Bowl Correct?

  • Absolutely Correct

    Votes: 81 35.4%
  • Correct, But It Was Close

    Votes: 96 41.9%
  • On The Fence

    Votes: 14 6.1%
  • Wrong, But It Was Close

    Votes: 24 10.5%
  • Absolutely Wrong

    Votes: 14 6.1%

  • Total voters
    229
Based on how they've put PI under the microscope this year (Thanks Sean Payton) yes, it was the correct call.  But it was close.

I don't think they call that 2 or 3 years ago.

 
Close...but think it was correct.  He probably would have gotten away with the first little push, but when he went to him again with the arm I think it was the right call.  Its how he gained separation.

 
I put on the fence because I think they were just hand jousting (started by the DB) and then Kittle looked like he got full extension with the push off. I think I would have let them play that one. Big call.

 
Close but correct I think, wasn't upset about the call, think the refs did a good job overall. 

 
There are multiple questionable calls or non calls in every game. If something wasn’t completely and blatantly obvious one way or the other, there really isn’t any need to debate individual calls. This one could have gone either way, but IMO SF doesn’t have a case to be OMG!!! HOW COULD THEY CALL THAT????

 
Yes. Defenders get called for the tiniest infractions, so if a receiver is gonna push off like that, they derserve to be as well. 

 
Hand fighting gets a bit of leeway, even a lot. Hand to the chest or shoulder, arm going to full extension, knocking the defender a bit off stride and creating separation for the catch, that's asking for the flag.

I will say I have seen more not called this year. 

 
It was the right call and I suspect he had enough separation and physical advantage to make the catch without doing it. Sometimes the PI is responsible for the catch but I don't think that is what happened here.

 
Such a tough call. What's probably unfair about OPI/push-offs is that the stronger players (Kittle, Gronk) will get flagged for it and the smaller guys (Hill, Edelman) get away with it frequently. Doesn't seem right but it is what it is.

 
I didn't think it should have been a penalty, but I'm very much a no-call unless its entirely the reason for the catch.

I didn't like the call in the endzone either on whomever(Warner?) it was covering Kelce. That is probably my least favorite call in football, the, "the defender running into the receiver because the QB underthrew the ball by 5+yards" I just hate the idea of rewarding a QB for a bad pass. 

Those 2 calls probably weren't enough to swing the game, as the 49ers completely fell apart in the 4th quarter, but it likely leads to a closer score at the very least. 

Such a tough call. What's probably unfair about OPI/push-offs is that the stronger players (Kittle, Gronk) will get flagged for it and the smaller guys (Hill, Edelman) get away with it frequently. Doesn't seem right but it is what it is.
This is a good post. I always felt Gronk got penalized way more than most TE's for OPI, but didn't do anything more, just his handchecking would often be enough to make DB's lose their balance.

 
it was the correct call but inconsistent with other penalties they were letting go. Receivers on both teams were getting held with no call. Both QB took shots to the head that weren't called.

 
I thought when it was happening live that it was obvious PI. Replay made it look more minor but still the right call.

 
He pushed off. Sucks to get called on your team but it was a foul.

They let a lot of other stuff slide, saw some offsides and some hits on Jimmy G In particular that get called all the time

Much more watchable game this way.

 
I agree the reffing was a bit uneven.  If you call that they should have called defensive holding on the defender covering Sanders on one play.  He had him wrapped up for about 9 yards.  also, seemed to me that they missed an off sides on the chiefs.  also they should have flagged Shakira for illegal hip checking and backfield in motion.

 
Such a tough call. What's probably unfair about OPI/push-offs is that the stronger players (Kittle, Gronk) will get flagged for it and the smaller guys (Hill, Edelman) get away with it frequently. Doesn't seem right but it is what it is.
Agree here and also the constant holding pushing between the DB and the receiver for ten yards or more and then the winner in that shoving holding match is penalized for being stronger.

 
PI is getting so hard to call.  On almost every play the DBs are grabbing the jerseys of the receivers.  At game speed it looked like a catch.  Slo-mo Kittle did push off a little.  The size difference made it look worse that it was.  It looked like Kittle might have still made the catch anyway but who knows?

 
I agree the reffing was a bit uneven.  If you call that they should have called defensive holding on the defender covering Sanders on one play.  He had him wrapped up for about 9 yards.  also, seemed to me that they missed an off sides on the chiefs.  also they should have flagged Shakira for illegal hip checking and backfield in motion.
They missed the delay of game on SF. 
Clock was at zero and ball not snapped.  It would have been 5 yards but actually helped SF.

 
They missed the delay of game on SF. 
Clock was at zero and ball not snapped.  It would have been 5 yards but actually helped SF.
Yes that one too.  Always some benefit of the doubt if the clock strikes zero and the snap occurs more or less simultaneously, but they did seem to push it a bit beyond any argument for simultaneous, at least for me.  I had forgotten that one.

 
I didn't think it should have been a penalty, but I'm very much a no-call unless its entirely the reason for the catch.

I didn't like the call in the endzone either on whomever(Warner?) it was covering Kelce. That is probably my least favorite call in football, the, "the defender running into the receiver because the QB underthrew the ball by 5+yards" I just hate the idea of rewarding a QB for a bad pass. 

Those 2 calls probably weren't enough to swing the game, as the 49ers completely fell apart in the 4th quarter, but it likely leads to a closer score at the very least. 

This is a good post. I always felt Gronk got penalized way more than most TE's for OPI, but didn't do anything more, just his handchecking would often be enough to make DB's lose their balance.
If he turns his head to look for the ball I'd have a lot more sympathy, as it played out I don't think that one is even remotely questionable.

 
If he turns his head to look for the ball I'd have a lot more sympathy, as it played out I don't think that one is even remotely questionable.
Agreed.  Being disoriented on the field, unaware of where the ball is in fight is all on the defender.  the receiver has a right to run a stop route and not get run over.  I do agree, though with the idea that this is a little cheapened when that is not the route but the result of a really bad underthrow, but when one is a D.B. it is the job description to be aware of the ball in flight.

 
Agreed.  Being disoriented on the field, unaware of where the ball is in fight is all on the defender.  the receiver has a right to run a stop route and not get run over.  I do agree, though with the idea that this is a little cheapened when that is not the route but the result of a really bad underthrow, but when one is a D.B. it is the job description to be aware of the ball in flight.
Perfect interception opportunity if the defender plays it better though.

 
Correct-close for me.

Too bad. I thought the defender was beaten anyway and that was 1 of the best throws JG made all day.

 
Not only did he extend his arm but he extended his hand to get even more separation.  Before the extension they were about a foot apart.  After they were about two feet.  Seems pretty textbook OPI.

 
Perfect interception opportunity if the defender plays it better though.
Absolutely.  maybe they need to mount rear view mirror on their helmets.  I briefly had one on a bike helmet back in the 80's.  thing was the size of a dental instrument mirror.  Tough to se out of I suppose if one is running with a world class athlete with all the head bobbing that entails. Maybe in the future they will have body cams and heads up displays on face visors.

 
I didn't think it should have been a penalty, but I'm very much a no-call unless its entirely the reason for the catch.

I didn't like the call in the endzone either on whomever(Warner?) it was covering Kelce. That is probably my least favorite call in football, the, "the defender running into the receiver because the QB underthrew the ball by 5+yards" I just hate the idea of rewarding a QB for a bad pass. 

Those 2 calls probably weren't enough to swing the game, as the 49ers completely fell apart in the 4th quarter, but it likely leads to a closer score at the very least. 

This is a good post. I always felt Gronk got penalized way more than most TE's for OPI, but didn't do anything more, just his handchecking would often be enough to make DB's lose their balance.


Agreed.  Being disoriented on the field, unaware of where the ball is in fight is all on the defender.  the receiver has a right to run a stop route and not get run over.  I do agree, though with the idea that this is a little cheapened when that is not the route but the result of a really bad underthrow, but when one is a D.B. it is the job description to be aware of the ball in flight.
I don't think the passes are bad throws necessarily.  I think the QB recognizes the defender is in a bad spot and throws the ball in that area on purpose because of the possibility of the PI call.  When the receiver and defender are running stride for stride that is actually the best location for the pass when the defender is that lost.  Its an easy PI call to make because the defender runs over the receiver without giving him a shot to come back to the ball.  Easy call. 

 
Absolutely.  maybe they need to mount rear view mirror on their helmets.  I briefly had one on a bike helmet back in the 80's.  thing was the size of a dental instrument mirror.  Tough to se out of I suppose if one is running with a world class athlete with all the head bobbing that entails. Maybe in the future they will have body cams and heads up displays on face visors.
I'm not saying it would have been easy, but he played it badly, ran into the receiver and got penalized for it.

 
Textbook, but yes, the refs sometimes let them go. The huge difference in the times the refs do let it go is when the defender is being a bit too handsy themselves. It's a wash. That was not the case here.

 
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If you watch the downfield replay, the ref had a perfect view of the push off. Sometimes a ref misses an obvious penalty because he is in the wrong place and doesn't have the right angle to see it. And then sometimes they are in the exact right position so they almost have to call it even if it wasn't that egregious. I think that was the case here.

 
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If you watch the downfield replay, the ref had a perfect view of the push off. Sometimes a ref misses an obvious penalty because he is in the wrong place and doesn't have the right angle to see it. And then sometimes that are in the exact right position so they almost have to call it even if it wasn't that egregious. I think that was the case here.
We have all seen in called and not called.   Kittle did put his arm out but it was not as bad as Kyle Rudolph's no call push off during OT in the Minny-Saints game. 

 
Correct but it was close. He clearly extended his arm to push away from the DB but it was not as blatant as others I have seen called. 

A tough call....but the umpire pulled that flag out rather quickly so it was a decisive call IMO. 

When you are running full speed with each other down field you do not need much force to push off and get some separation. If he had not pushed off it is highly debatable if he comes down with the reception because it would be have been far better contested.

 
We have all seen in called and not called.   Kittle did put his arm out but it was not as bad as Kyle Rudolph's no call push off during OT in the Minny-Saints game. 
And that is the thing with these calls. They are subjective. Hence why I hate replay on them. I think that was an utter failure and hopefully they re-think that rule and get rid of it. The replay is already out of control in the NFL. The game is simply not played in slo-mo HD on the field so how do you expect human eyes to get everything 100% correct at human speed, in a human competition. 

 
We have all seen in called and not called.   Kittle did put his arm out but it was not as bad as Kyle Rudolph's no call push off during OT in the Minny-Saints game. 
Right. It was a judgement call. But based on the rules, it was technically correct to call it.

 
I remember the day when a call like that would have never been made.
I miss the good old days when real men played football and every player felt sore by the end of the game. IMO, it was more enjoyable when the players were more like gladiators and just played football. Now you can't touch anyone, you have to worry about how much weight you have when hitting the QB, and hitting someone hard will be a 15 yard penalty (even if it isn't helmet to helmet). I am probably in the minority, but give me a 13-9 game instead of these 42-38 games with 1,000 yards of offense.

 
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I miss the gold old days when real men played football and every player felt sore by the end of the game. IMO, it was more enjoyable when the players were more like gladiators and just played football. Now you can't touch anyone, you have to worry about how much weight you have when hitting the QB, and hitting someone hard will be a 15 yard penalty (even if it isn't helmet to helmet). I am probably in the minority, but give me a 13-9 game instead of these 42-38 games with 1,000 yards of offense.
The NFL made it to where DB's couldn't even breath on receivers without a PI call.....at least the pendulum is swinging back some.

 
surprised this is a thing. seemed pretty evident that it was PI. i think if you switch the positions (i.e. pretend Kittle is defense) most would say it was def. PI, so maybe just a bias against offensive PI

 
He pushed off and got caught.  Why is this even a thread?
This,

Clear push off. Got caught. Flagged.  *yawn*
 

As was mentioned upthread, the worst part was how boneheaded it was for Kittle to do it because he already had his guy beat. Could have made the catch without pushing off at all, most likely.

 

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