I figured he stepped out because I watched Edwards start running back up field as Brown was approaching the goal line. Boy, was I relieved.
Also a moot point, but I am pretty sure the offense wasn't completely set upon snapping the ball for that play. About the only thing the refs got right was seeing Brown step out of bounds.
Just to make it clear on an above poster (unrelated to your quote) - all TDs in the NFL are subject to review and they would have reviewed the lateral. And, I agree that from the angle of the main shot, it is not possible to over-turn the play. However, we really don't know what other camera angles were available for the replay. So, while it is very iffy on the regular shot and would not be turned over on that alone, it's possible a different angle would have provided better evidence - just seeing it on the one shot is not demonstration of your point. Of course, it is also possible it was not a forward lateral.
All scoring plays are subject to a booth review and would have been reviewed. I would hope there was a better angle because what we saw was not enough to overturn.
I'm not sure that lateral gets overturned. Would have been smart to use our final timeout there just to set the D. What's amazing to me is that Brown caught the ball so far back. my memory had him much farther up the field. What made it all possible is that Brown was running on the cleared grass while our defenders were running on the snow. On the other hand, given the nature of the lateral if explains why he was able to break away the way he did. If the ball was thrown backwards by a yard and Brown had to wait on it, he may have only gained a few yards
The sideline needs to call time out in those situations. Killed us in the Carolina 4th and 10 play and almost killed us again. What does it take for the coaches to get up to speed on what they need to do?
It was forward by about two feet. The real question is whether it would have been looked at [had Brown not stepped out] at all. They certainly didn't look at the fact that he stepped out before calling the game ??
They were obviously hoping they would not get the snap off. Samphin actually believes they did not (if the o was not set, it would have been a penalty). I have to quote him on it, bc I don't remember it that closely.
Really, that play was not reviewed...the official on the sideline was looking at him as he stepped out and they called the game. There was no review, except from the network...but you're right, they are supposed to be reviewed, and there are no sideline calls for review in the last 2 mins of the game. It was, however, the right call...
Yeah, the defense was tired but how do you call a timeout when the clock is about to run out? You can't call a timeout in that situation. I'm surprised Pitt was even able to get that snap off.
God bless him! Obviously, as a Dolfan, I love the call, but I'm also a high school official myself, and I just love the effort, positioning and downright balls to make that call at that moment. He saw something that was extremely hard to see in that situation, and the fact he got it so spot on is to be commended! We rail on these guys all the time, and for good reason, but that was an epic call there! Really, these officials are paid to get maybe 3-4 tough calls right per game, the rest are pretty self-explanatory. This one was one of those 3-4, and he hit it out of the park so to speak! Football Official Porn for me!
Does someone have this on DVR to upload the last ~2mins of air footage...the second last and last play? I was also thinking they weren't set when it snapped at the time...the whole play felt like slow motion gut wrenching "nonononononono" from the get go....ugh.
that ref that got the call right deserves a bonus. never seen a ref so focussed on a players foot, rex ryan is jealous.
Doofus Greenberg was spewing about how the stepping out of bounds stopped the game winning , end of game play . No mention of it perhaps being illegal. How bout them Jets Mikie?
I thought it was obvious Ben threw the ball forward in real time and after seeing it replayed I think it was very obvious, I don't think it was all that close. The fact that the pass went forward is a huge deal though because the players were guarding the backwards lateral leaving Brown out there on his own. Honestly it was a good play for the Steelers, I think we were looking for a Hail Mary down the field, not a quick pass and laterals, it was very close to being a disaster of a play that would have essentially ruined our season. We would have been a full game behind the Ravens without a tie breaker and tied with the Steelers without the tie breaker.....game over for the season there. Watching it in real time I thought they flagged Ben's pass and started to celebrate. Then I saw they didn't and seriously almost had a heart attack, the refs would have cost us a playoff changing win and the first game that we have won in Pittsburgh in like 20 years. Thankfully this one worked out. I still cant breath when I watch that play replayed on tv.
Everyone was sure the refs would uphold the obvious 'down by contact' in Cincy. They reversed and awarded TD. They donated yet another phantom PI call to the Pats in crunch time. In other words, I'm glad Brown stepped out of bounds. - sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 4 beta -
I agree. I'm not one of these fans that blames and rips the refs all the time, but obviously they are constantly ridiculed and demeaned and sometimes for good reason. But for that ref to see and make that call in that situation was impressive. How many refs would have gotten lost in the moment and miss the out of bounds step and signal touchdown there? I'd bet a good majority. Kudos to Edwards for making a great call.
Agreed , noticed how he got himself into position and when Brown was tight roping the sideline he made the decision to focus on his foot and where it landed . He did a terrific job , and not just because the call went our way , but because it was obviously vital and he got it right.
I'll say this too, you have to give Clemons a little credit because him being there forced Brown closer and closer to the sideline.
Based on the discussion in this thread, I'm even more thankful that I thought possible that Brown stepped out of bounds because had he not, and WHEN the play was upheld (in my mind I'm 100% certain it would have been) we would have been discussing this for decades.
I don't agree with that, because when the play was live it definitely looked like a forward lateral. It was IMO totally obvious. The replays didn't change that. Since Ben was right on the hashes it is easy to see where the ball was thrown from. Brown is close enough to the sideline hash marks to see where he caught it.
What bothers me is if it was so obvious why didnt the sideline ref,who was standing right there, see it and throw a flag.
You have to go from where the ball was to where Brown was. This was inconclusive but quite likely a bit forward. Besides the zebras on the field didn't see this as a forward lateral and this fact would have been difficult to overcome on replay.
It looked to me like there was some movement by the Steelers before/during the snap of the ball that the refs missed too. Is there video of the play in its entirety? I would like to see if I was just imagining that....
I didn't see that, but don't you have to be set a second before the snap? Heath Miller, lined up in the slot, was definitely not set for a full second before the hike.
I understand that. From the release point to the catch point, it definitely, or conclusively, looked forward to me.
Coyle today stated that the all-22 showed a slightly forward pass. Here's to advocating that these angles be made available to the refs for replay purposes.
John Parry was the lead official for that 2009 Saints game too. He was not the official right on top of the play though when Ginn stripped Sharper 2-3 yards before the goal line. I think for some reason the replay did not have that camera angle from behind the line judge as was so infamously captured by some Sports Illustrated photographer.
