cowboyz1
Footballguy
I'm going to make this real simple fellas. Had the game been played without the call everyone would be talking about how this game saved the weekend for it's pure excitement. Yes, there would be a few tiffs about some of the calls here and there but for the most part, Romo, TW and the Dallas defense would be dominating the conversations. It's a shame that it has come to this because for me any playoff team that scores but 3 points in the second half of a playoff game has no business winning anyhow.
That said, the call did happen and if you watch the play from all angles there were fouls on both players. Petigrew DID grab Hitch's facemask and Hitch although did a great job selling his coverage, grabbed his shoulder on the route and did enough to warrant a flag. However, if you're honest with yourself and have any kind of football purest in your blood, that play had no business deciding a football game of that magnitude. There is no way Detroit should have needed to pin there hope of winning that game on a referee throwing a flag. Petigrew was covered, had no chance of catching the ball because Hitch did a great job of being in the position that he was. Think back to when football was about making real plays despite rough play. Back when you couldn't depend on PI and PFs to bail you out. When players had to play football and WR actually had to get open, catch the ball knowing they could get knocked out, a time where the defender had as much right to the ball as the WR.
I know exactly what the refs were thinking. The three officials got together and asked each other what they saw. They all looked at each other and said, wasn't enough contact to give them a free pass. The guy who threw the flag was the furthest from the play and threw the flag based on the given precedent that when a defender has his back to the play and doesn't turn his head, it's a penalty. The three said NO, in a game like this, you're going to have to win it making plays. I applaud them for the decision. Had it been against my Cowboys, YES, I would be pissed off. However, I would also know deep down that they made the right decision and weren't about to give a free first down on a poor throw to a covered receiver who had no chance of making the play whether Hitch grazed him or not. That simple. Now the way they handled it was poor which is why we are here #####ing about it. I have felt exactly the way Lions fans do about calls like this, but deep down I am more pissed about the play call and the decision to make such a poor pass to a covered receiver, praying for a call.
I have no problem arguing it was the RIGHT call given the circumstances and Detroit had ample time and opportunity to win that game. Like I said, 3 points in two quarters does not a winner make.
Now as far as some fix being in. Ridiculous. If the Lions showed some balls and went for it on 4th and 1 like we did TWICE, perhaps they would have won. Instead they counted on a ticky tack call to go their way. I don't know about you but football is a contact sport and you had better know how to make plays in spite of contact. That is the foundation of this game and without it you don't have football. Some refs know the difference between PI and playing through contact. I wish more did because the pusification of this game has got to stop.
The conversation should be about how Romo played his ### off in spite of being legally mauled. TW stepping up to make plays. Murray grinding out some tough yards. Beasley making timely first downs. Witten coming up HUGE on 4th down twice and the Cowboys defense holding the Lions to 3 points in crunch time.
Finally, I applaud the refs for making the right call, despite doing it all wrong. In no way did that call determine the winner of that game. Did it make it tougher for the Lions, sure but that is what this game is all about. Dallas found ways to adapt, improvise and overcome, while the Lions.......they chose to punt.
Dallas didn't let misfortune stop them from making the plays to win the game. Simple as that folks. Simple as that.
That said, the call did happen and if you watch the play from all angles there were fouls on both players. Petigrew DID grab Hitch's facemask and Hitch although did a great job selling his coverage, grabbed his shoulder on the route and did enough to warrant a flag. However, if you're honest with yourself and have any kind of football purest in your blood, that play had no business deciding a football game of that magnitude. There is no way Detroit should have needed to pin there hope of winning that game on a referee throwing a flag. Petigrew was covered, had no chance of catching the ball because Hitch did a great job of being in the position that he was. Think back to when football was about making real plays despite rough play. Back when you couldn't depend on PI and PFs to bail you out. When players had to play football and WR actually had to get open, catch the ball knowing they could get knocked out, a time where the defender had as much right to the ball as the WR.
I know exactly what the refs were thinking. The three officials got together and asked each other what they saw. They all looked at each other and said, wasn't enough contact to give them a free pass. The guy who threw the flag was the furthest from the play and threw the flag based on the given precedent that when a defender has his back to the play and doesn't turn his head, it's a penalty. The three said NO, in a game like this, you're going to have to win it making plays. I applaud them for the decision. Had it been against my Cowboys, YES, I would be pissed off. However, I would also know deep down that they made the right decision and weren't about to give a free first down on a poor throw to a covered receiver who had no chance of making the play whether Hitch grazed him or not. That simple. Now the way they handled it was poor which is why we are here #####ing about it. I have felt exactly the way Lions fans do about calls like this, but deep down I am more pissed about the play call and the decision to make such a poor pass to a covered receiver, praying for a call.
I have no problem arguing it was the RIGHT call given the circumstances and Detroit had ample time and opportunity to win that game. Like I said, 3 points in two quarters does not a winner make.
Now as far as some fix being in. Ridiculous. If the Lions showed some balls and went for it on 4th and 1 like we did TWICE, perhaps they would have won. Instead they counted on a ticky tack call to go their way. I don't know about you but football is a contact sport and you had better know how to make plays in spite of contact. That is the foundation of this game and without it you don't have football. Some refs know the difference between PI and playing through contact. I wish more did because the pusification of this game has got to stop.
The conversation should be about how Romo played his ### off in spite of being legally mauled. TW stepping up to make plays. Murray grinding out some tough yards. Beasley making timely first downs. Witten coming up HUGE on 4th down twice and the Cowboys defense holding the Lions to 3 points in crunch time.
Finally, I applaud the refs for making the right call, despite doing it all wrong. In no way did that call determine the winner of that game. Did it make it tougher for the Lions, sure but that is what this game is all about. Dallas found ways to adapt, improvise and overcome, while the Lions.......they chose to punt.
Dallas didn't let misfortune stop them from making the plays to win the game. Simple as that folks. Simple as that.
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