We all saw it, and we'll be seeing it an infinite amount of times this week. With the game hanging in the balance, the play clock struck zero, and seemingly seconds later, the Ravens snapped the football. On the play itself, the Ravens gained a big chunk of the yardage which helped them get into field goal range.Now, before we go any further, I'd like to point out that there is no way you can claim this cost the Titans the game. I know many Titans fans will be inclined to do so. Take a deep breath and think about the costly turnovers for a second. A five-yard penalty isn't costing anyone a football game.
Anyway, onto the call itself. I can tell you how the NFL officials view delay calls. I know one NFL official personally, and have asked him about delay calls before, since -- as a high school back judge -- it's a call within my jurisdiction. Our rule for high school is that once the clock strikes zero you blow and throw immediately, no questions asked.
The NFL is different, though. My acquaintance told me that they are ordered to let the play happen if they feasibly can. For example, if the clock strikes zero and the snap is eminent, they will let it happen. It's all discretionary, one would think. Obviously, if the snap happens two seconds later, a flag should have been thrown. To be fair, I was told this about three years ago and have never asked if the standard was changed. I assume it's still the same, judging from what we just witnessed, but I could easily be wrong.
In this case, it does appear the Ravens got an extra second or two, and that's not really within the spirit of the rule. So, yeah, my gut instinct is that it should have been a delay of game. Knowing how the NFL would prefer these guys call the rule, though, is paramount in the discussion. Since I knew this, I didn't think the non-flag was quite as egregious as the general public or the announcers. Really, if there was only one second between when the clock struck zero and when the center started to move the football, it's not a delay by the standards of the NFL.
The bottom line is that if you think this was some sort of unconscionable error, then you have a problem with how the NFL wants the officials to call the rule -- not the officials on the field.
Oh, and you know how I said "we all saw it." Just in case you didn't, here you go:
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
1-10-2009 @ 8:59PM
steve said...
That just evens it up. The Titans beat the Ravens during the regular season on a 3 and 10 play when they called Suggs for hitting Collins in the head. That gave them 15 yards and kept the game winning drive alive when all the Ravens had to do was run the last couple of minutes off of the clock. The replay clearly showed Suggs hit Collins' arm and then shoulder pad. That bad call and the 3 blown calls by the refs in the two Ravens games that went to the Steelers cost the Ravens 3 wins and the home field throughout with a 14 and 2 record.
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1-11-2009 @ 12:54PM
Brad said...
LOL the better offense and the better defense lost the game. Raven best defensive???? they couldnt stop the titans. they lit them up. ray lewis said " its what we have done all year" lmao you have givin up 400 yards all year?? lmao not!!!! ravens got beat in every aspect of the game. titans even had the better defense. Ravens run the ball on 3 10 lmao thats how scared you were. they dismantled the ravens. it would be sad to see the ravens in the superbowl knowing the titans are 3 times better. and everyone who actually watched every play of the game knows that!!!
1-15-2009 @ 4:48PM
phantoms33 said...
Just one question, in the first game how could the Ravens run out the clock when the Titans would of still had the ball when Suggs got called for the hit to the head? It would be 4th down. So it didn't win the game for the Titans. I am just so tired of refs not being held accountable for the most simple of rules. The funny part, the Titans got called for delay of game in the first half that knocked them out of legitimate field goal range. The Ravens won and kudos to them. The Titans had two costly fumbles that cost them the game. Simple as that. They marched up and down the field several times, and only scored 10 points. Can't happen and expect to win.
1-10-2009 @ 9:06PM
Dan said...
I guess the no call also caused the picks, fumbles, and missed fg??
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1-10-2009 @ 9:17PM
Mike T. said...
Sometimes you get the calls and other times you do not.......The Titans lost because The Ravens had more points......not because of the Officials......
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1-10-2009 @ 9:43PM
brett d said...
i think that it could have caused the loss. I mean there were other factors but that could have thwarted a first down from the ravens and potentially put them out of field goal range. There's always the chance they would have made it anyway, but i'm a die hard titans fan and i'm putting the blame on anyone but them. However, the turnovers sucked ass... lol.. but still, we were screwed!
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1-10-2009 @ 10:11PM
Scott said...
The Titans did make very many blunders (turnovers, penalities, etc), but if the delay of game call were made (as it should have been) the yards back could have changed the outcome in the game. But, the Titans should not have allowed this game to be left to a delay of game call. The frustrating thing about the game is that it appeared the Titans had the better team, but they beat themselves with the 2 fumbles in the red zone.
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1-10-2009 @ 10:40PM
Erik said...
I understand your perspective, but I really cannot agree that this had no effect on the outcome. It certainly helps to have a 3rd-and-short when you go for a deep pass play like they did on that play. The defense is keyed to expect a run as opposed to a long pass, so it gives you a better chance to actually complete it. Had the delay been called (it undeniably should have, it was the longest non-call on a delay that I can remember witnessing in my life), then it would have been 3rd-and-7 and the defense would have been much more prepared for a pass. Period, end of story. I hate it when Refs have such an obvious affect on the outcome of games.
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1-10-2009 @ 10:37PM
Matt Snyder said...
I respect this stance, to be sure, but I can't sit here and believe that a five yard penalty in the last two minutes was more of a problem for the Titans than Crumpler's fumble, for example. Plus, the Ravens needed more yards after the gain on the play in question. Futhermore, why not make a stop on the third down when the playclock ran out?
It's one thing to be angry about a call you think wasn't correct. It's quite another to blame an entire loss on it, when clearly the Titans made several plays on their own which were far more detrimental to their game.
1-14-2009 @ 3:33PM
Mr. G said...
The Titans may have been "More Ready" for a pass if the delay call was made. That doesn't mean they would have stopped the first down.. Maybe they would have run a different play. You can't say what might have happened, there are too many vriables to consider. For all we know the Ravens would have ran the ball in for a touchdown!! MAYBE......
1-10-2009 @ 10:43PM
steve said...
There is a significant difference between the plays of the teams and their effects and the calls of the officials and their effects. The officials are given power/authority to make sure that the game is played according to the rules. When an official fails to enforce the rules, it is simply wrong. There is no excuse for not calling the penalty and enforcing the rules--that is what they are paid to do. They failed to enforce the rules and as a consequence the Ravens had a play from which they should not have benefited. The officials failed in their job and ought to admit it. Unfortunately there is not a 'penalty' for an official that so clearly fails his responsibility.
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1-10-2009 @ 10:44PM
Erik said...
Furthermore, this statement is obviously incorrect: "A five-yard penalty isn't costing anyone a football game." I can think up enumerable situations in which it would directly cost a team the game.
Note that I agree that Tennessee definitely shot themselves in the foot, but it doesn't help when the winning drive is extended by a referees missed call.
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1-10-2009 @ 11:33PM
BA said...
The delay of game no-call was just one of many that were overlooked by a highly ranked, veteran crew. Many late hits and cheap shots by both sides went unpenalized even though they were in plain view of the crew and were impossible to miss. It is symptomatic of the way NFL VP of Officials, Mike Pereira, wants to see the game played. The game is degenerating into a sad mix of WWE wrestling and hockey brawls. The rules are the rules, they aren't made to be bent or broken...by anyone including the officials. Football has enough violence in the routine..did you see Ray Lewis' crushing blow?....without the addition of career ending cheap shots. The Titans choked, failed their fans and their season has ended. The officials choked by swallowing their whistles but their year can go on...does seem a bit of an injustice.
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1-10-2009 @ 11:44PM
Fact said...
Bad calls happen so you have to provide cushion with your play on the field. Titans earned no cushion. However, this no call without a doubt cost DID the Titans the game in regulation. In OT who knows? Same life lesson we have all learned, when you rely on others to get what you want, you get hosed.
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1-10-2009 @ 11:49PM
Jason said...
so you are comparing a regular season call against a playoff game call? Much more on the line in this game. The NFL just wants to see the Ravens and Steelers in the AFC Championship cause they can get a bigger audience. That call was rigged along with a couple other calls. Unbelievable. The best team didn't win the game today. Ravens are lucky and horrible at the same time. They will lose the next game and I will be smiling the entire time after. Ray Lewis should be in prison.
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1-13-2009 @ 10:03AM
ratbird said...
Sorry Jason,
The better team doesn't always win the big game. Titans should be proud. Great team, great city and great fans. I hope you guys win it all in the near future. Wish us good luck against Pittsburgh! Happy New Year Tennessee.
ratbird
1-11-2009 @ 12:03AM
Gabriel Aaron Mills said...
For all you stupid baltimore Fans the No Call is just Insane BULL and all of you know it you just can't say that I'm Right and the TITANS are better and the REFS are one sided and we all know it and watch out for us next year bye bye ravens. Screw the ravens and good night.
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1-11-2009 @ 12:44AM
Wade said...
That's interesting on the delay stance by the NFL official, I use that same judgment when I am working junior high game. I would imagine that would have been called 100% of the time in high school, not sure if it is with our crew though (not my job).
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1-11-2009 @ 12:53AM
jc said...
Yes we all saw the play clock struck 0, and no yellow flag? That had a lot to do with the outcome of the game, you'll never know what could have happened if they called that penalty. The Titans played great defense even though they had some slip up penalties, in my eyes they could have made a game winning stop that might have changed the outcome of the game. In this game, there's no such thing as "evenning things up."
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1-11-2009 @ 1:36AM
jeff said...
all you tenn. fans now you know what it fells like to have a bad call hurt your teams chance to win the game .now multiply that by 3 or 4 times and you'll see how balto fans feel (both pitts.games and the first tenns.game.)
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