Tony Romo Fumbles, Cardinals Recover, Ref Misses It: Worst Call of the Year?

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell can give all the pep talks he wants, but the fact is that there have been an awful lot of bad calls by NFL officials this year.

So it's really saying something that the officiating of a Tony Romo fumble by referee Pete Morelli in today's Cowboys-Cardinals game might have been the worst call of the year.

In the first quarter, Cardinals defensive tackle Darnell Dockett grabbed Romo and knocked the ball loose. Cardinals linebacker Travis LaBoy pounced on it, and the Cardinals celebrated, thinking they were about to take over deep in Dallas territory.

Except that Morelli then signaled that it was still the Cowboys' ball. Why? Who knows. He didn't explain it. Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt dropped the challenge flag but was told he couldn't challenge. That apparently means that for some bizarre reason Morelli ruled Romo in the grasp, even though he wasn't. And although Morelli did turn on his microphone and call for more time to be put on the clock, he never explained what he had called.

It's no fun spending our Sunday afternoons griping about the officials, but increasingly that's what we find ourselves doing. Maybe Goodell needs to stop doing so much back-slapping and start doing some firing.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

10-12-2008 @ 5:22PM

Thatsabsurd said...

Wasn't the worst call............just what you would expect since Goodell has taken over and destroyed the integrity of this game.

10-12-2008 @ 5:36PM

the cooker said...

Michael, how about the second quarter when Romo fake pumped and got the ball knocked out of his hands and the Cards had a touch only to give it back to the Cows??? Do you want to tell me that Jerry (facelift) Jones has no pull with the NFL?

10-12-2008 @ 5:37PM

Step said...

It happened a couple of weeks ago too in the Patriots-Dolphins game, except, instead of a fumble being overturned, it was a potential Matt Cassell sack-breaking TD run. At the time I remember thinking I never saw a whistle come so quickly. It was almost touch football-like. I chalked it down to an unfortunate referee mistake. But now that it has happened again, I wonder if the league office isn't drilling the need for player safety into the referees' head so much that it's causing a trigger whistle.

10-12-2008 @ 5:46PM

Orange Chuck said...

I like that they fight so hard to avoid being stereotyped with WWE and then this smells awfully a lot like one of those "referee gets bumped and misses everything and wakes up just in time for the pin" moments. Wonder if the NFL is upset that the Cowboys are not undefeated and there goes a big story for them so they will help get them as close as they can?

10-12-2008 @ 5:59PM

giant fan since 57 said...

How was that a pass attempt. He pulled it in and fumbled it. The only ref job worse than that was the crew at North Carolina yessterday desperately trying to give the game to Notre Dame.

Who thinks they weren't on the take?

10-12-2008 @ 8:32PM

Freddie Alcantar said...

The Cowboys need to BENCH Tony Romo for a series or two,and give Brad Johnson a shot to help the cowboys win a game for a change!!! Tonys fumbling TO MUCH right now and is playing like a ROOKIE!!! i think the change would wake his butt up!! and he would be like he was when he came in for Drew Bledsoe!!! he hasn't been Great since....Wake up coaches!!! do it for the team!!!

10-12-2008 @ 6:16PM

CDS said...

They got the first one wrong - no doubt - but the second call was actually right...that whole "tuck rule" thing. Read a rulebook people.

I also like how any time a ref has a bad game he is automatically assumed to be on the take and/or under the influence of Jerry Jones and Roger Goodell.

10-12-2008 @ 7:46PM

b bailey said...

These calls in Dallas's favor are embarssing. Pacman skating free will show the truth.

10-12-2008 @ 6:43PM

Vince said...

Face it, Romo is a jinx. They guy has his head up his backside most of the time in key situations. Going all the way back to the fumbled hike in the playoff game in Seattle. The guy just gives me a heart attack whenever he has the ball in his hands, fumbles, tosses into double coverage and just outright stupid plays.

10-12-2008 @ 7:03PM

Heavy_Lumber said...

Maybe the NFL should start testing the officials...Laughing... maybe there's a little more to those "smoke" breaks the ref's are taking before each game and just maybe there's another liquid substance in their water bottles...Hhmmm, just food for thought....stranger things have happened.

10-12-2008 @ 7:52PM

john said...

bad calls happen way too often .....but th cards pulled it out anyway......ahahahahahaha.....swallow that cowboys

10-12-2008 @ 8:29PM

Sports Fan said...

Why was TO yelling in the first half? And this was against his own teammate. It was a big mistake to bring him in in the first place.

10-14-2008 @ 8:57AM

jraintdead said...

T.O. was yelling at Cowboys center Andre Gurode for just standing there and looking at the ball on the ground following Romo's fumble on the previous play.

10-12-2008 @ 8:56PM

Craig said...

And for the money Ed Hochuli wasn't involved. Thus proving to all the morons that have been heaping on the man that everyone makes mistakes.

10-15-2008 @ 9:00PM

redskins fan said...

This crap has gotten a lot worse in the last say four or five years. It used to be a lot more suttle,now i think the league assumes were to stupid to know whats going on. hard to beleave the refs all of a sudden got this bad. Now when ever thay want or need to. they say the play cant be reviewed because of a whistle or some technicality. I say bullshit if you can see it an make the call they damn shore could. As for the co-comissioner ferry jones it shows whos in charge of the nfl. goddell is a joke he will do what ever jones tells him to watch an see.

10-12-2008 @ 10:12PM

nefan said...

AZ. has been my underdog team since they moved there. This is their biggest upset. They will only have 2 more losses and both will be to NE.

10-12-2008 @ 10:30PM

aaron said...

looks to me ,that mcbriar only setup 10yds deep on the punt attempt and should have been 15yds back which would have given enough time to get punt off without blocking it

10-13-2008 @ 10:00AM

thad said...

If the officials made the correct call according to the tuck rule, then the tuck rule definately needs to be changed. Otherwise, if you get in trouble in the endzone, just tuck the ball in and drop it and you will be okay. It's obviously a stupid rule.