Random Playoff Thoughts

What is it with the Steelers and post-season officiating? Super Bowl XL was the worst officiated game in recent NFL playoff memory. Indeed, during the game there was the rare block below the waist on the defense as Matt Hasselbeck tried to tackle the defender who intercepted his pass and in the process of doing was blocked by another defender. As befitting a quarterback, he tried to take the runner out by going low and wound up also taking out the “blocker.” So it wa on Saturday night, as the same call – blocking below the waist – was called on the defense as a tackle was trying to be made on the defender who intercepted, only the would be tackler missed and rolled into the player trailing the ball carrier for which the penalty was called. Just an unbelievably bad call.

 

Same goes with the Hines Ward face mask no call, which was actually much worse since the refs wound up calling the defender who was being face masked (and not the innocuous 5 yarder for hand on the mask. Ward was really pulling it) for pass interference.

 

Troy Polamalu is turning into Cousin It.

 

Speaking of hair, the ref was being politically correct in noting that the Jags d-back was “down by contact” rather than noting that his hair extensions, and thus a part of his body, landed out of bounds (while the rest of his body landed in bounds. One more reason not to wear hair extensions and play football). Incredibly, the controversial-adverse Al Michaels and John Madden picked up on it.

 

Has a missed field goal shifted the momentum of a game more than Suisham’s miss on Saturday afternoon vs. Seattle? The Skins were about to put a hammerlock on the lead. Instead, the Seahawks wound up reeling off the next 22 points to win the game.

 

Are the Giants feeding off the momentum of their loss but good showing against the Patriots last week? As long as Manning doesn’t get too much confidence, the win assures that Coughlin and Eli will be back for the Giants next year – which has got to be good news for the Eagles and the rest of the NFC East.