This whining about officiating is 100% ridiculous.
HOW can anyone say the PI call was poor when he blatantly extended his arm right in front of the ref to push off? That's called EVERY time when the receiver completely extends his arm like that, and I'd feel the same way if it were Hines Ward doing it.
No. That type of pass interence is so rarely called. That's why there is an uproar over it. The halftime people even replayed it and discussed it.
So is the Locklear holding call, when Haggans was taken down from the side. It was a huge call, I agree.
No. That was a solid block. At first, it appeared that Haggans would get the edge on Locklear, but the block was made. The official was unable to recognize that a tackle could made the play without holding.
And I'm sorry, but the ball very easily could've broken the plane on Ben's TD run. Not the entire ball, but the corner of it that was tucked in by his elbow. If it wouldn't have been called a TD, that call would've stood, too.
I've been over this. The official runs up to the ball ready to mark it 4 to 6 inches short. Once he sees Roethlisberger laying across the endzone, he decides to signal a TD. As you state above, his original call of no TD would have stood as well.
I love how no one cares that Hasselbeck threw a very costly INT or they gave up a 75 yard TD run or they gave up a 40+ yard trick play TD or they scored only 10 points or the Steelers held Seattle to 33% 3rd down conversions or Josh Brown missed 2 field goals or...
Remember that the INT was after the phantom holding call. The play where the INT occured would not have been called.The Parker TD was an excellent play by the Steelers....that's one for them.
The trick play TD came after the phantom hold and the illegal tackle by Hasselbeck. We have no idea if Pittsburgh would have tried that play (or even been in position to do so). Even so, it was perfectly executed....that's two for them.
33% isn't too bad against a very good defense. Also, consider that there were a few times where Seattle converted but a penalty brought the play back.
I don't knock missed FGs when they are 50+ yarders.