How Was THIS Not A Taunting FOUL?

[Jooser]

Donk standing over Davis in the end zone mock laughing and pointing at him. IMO, that's taunting (i.e. JuJu standing over Burfict). It would have been a dead ball foul assesed on the KO. That would have been huge in terms FP on the Steelers last drive.

-Joos

[williar]

One thing I learned about sports and officiating, especially in football and basketball, is there is so much subjectivity. Games will never be officiated fairly and cleanly. How many times have you watched a game and seen a penalty thrown on a play and say to yourself, I have seen that kind of thing done 100 times and never seen a flag thrown for it! What it comes down to is the league is going to do what is best for the LEAGUE! Be it, generate fixed outcomes, throw suspect flags to keep a team in the game, go above and beyond to protect its star players, you name it! And I have seen all of it. Nothing surprises me at all...

[WB Tarleton]

It was taunting, without a doubt. Specifically the "pointing." It's another inconsistency in how games are called. (To be honest though, this board would be outraged that the refs called the penalty if it was reversed.)

It ended up having zero impact on the outcome because of another hole in the rulebook. Even if called, it would have been enforced on the kickoff. It should be the defending team's choice to have it enforced on the kickoff or PAT attempt. The Pats probably would have just kicked for one instead of going for two from the 17 (or gone for it and failed) and the end of game nonsense would never have happened. When we get to their 10, we run down the clock and kick a FG to win instead of the Jesse drop and then INT.

[Slapstick]

It was taunting, without a doubt. Specifically the "pointing." It's another inconsistency in how games are called. (To be honest though, this board would be outraged that the refs called the penalty if it was reversed.)

I don’t know about that...

[feltdizz]

I don’t know about that...

most of the board would be outraged at the player.

Hell, they hate when our players celebrate after TD's most of the time.

[Northern_Blitz]

It was taunting, without a doubt. Specifically the "pointing." It's another inconsistency in how games are called. (To be honest though, this board would be outraged that the refs called the penalty if it was reversed.)

It ended up having zero impact on the outcome because of another hole in the rulebook. Even if called, it would have been enforced on the kickoff. It should be the defending team's choice to have it enforced on the kickoff or PAT attempt. The Pats probably would have just kicked for one instead of going for two from the 17 (or gone for it and failed) and the end of game nonsense would never have happened. When we get to their 10, we run down the clock and kick a FG to win instead of the Jesse drop and then INT.

That's an interesting perspective. I've never heard that idea before but it makes a lot of sense. Probably wouldn't get exercised a lot, but this game illustrates how it could be important.

[WB Tarleton]

most of the board would be outraged at the player.

Hell, they hate when our players celebrate after TD's most of the time.

Mike Mitchell? Yeppers.

JJSS? Nope. How much criticism was there of him two weeks ago? I heard mostly thunderous applause.

I suspect we also would have heard that the refs should not call such things at a critical juncture of the game.

[pittpete]

Thunderous applause of what?

GJ on the hit but his taunt was ridiculous.
I dont recall reading one post of anyone justifying the taunt.
If they did, they are nuts.

[Jooser]

I definitely think that we would have been called for the taunt if roles were reversed. It's just another inconsitency you get when you play the *'s. The penalty could have changed the game IMO.

[Steel Maniac]

Nothing is ever wrong on the field if it would negatively impact the Patriots. That's your answer. That's a clear taunt if I ever saw one. For God's sake, he pointed to and talked to the player!

The NFL loves the Patriots and wants them to keep winning. The other 31 teams in this league are only here to give the Patriots something to do if you let the NFL head office tell it.

[feltdizz]

One thing I learned about sports and officiating, especially in football and basketball, is there is so much subjectivity. Games will never be officiated fairly and cleanly. How many times have you watched a game and seen a penalty thrown on a play and say to yourself, I have seen that kind of thing done 100 times and never seen a flag thrown for it! What it comes down to is the league is going to do what is best for the LEAGUE! Be it, generate fixed outcomes, throw suspect flags to keep a team in the game, go above and beyond to protect its star players, you name it! And I have seen all of it. Nothing surprises me at all...

yeah, the NBA and the NFL are the biggest agenda driven leagues IMO. All those fouls that aren't really fouls once they show the replay in basketball are hilarious. Star players get all types of kid gloves but IMO that's what's best for the NBA. The NFL I think it's all about making sure the teams with the best ratings get most of the calls at critical times. It's not 100% but I have seen teams who aren't in playoff contention get hosed on some calls. I remember the Pats* 16-0 season. I think it was the last 2 games of the regular season I watched some of the worst calls ever made keep drives alive for the Pats. Pretty sure Baltimore had to stop the Pats 4 or 5 times on one of the last drives. They kept throwing flags every time the Rats stopped the Pats on 4th and short.

The worst offense though is the Pats have a history of skirting the rules and forcing the league to make up new rules AFTER they win a game. I don't they fix the outcome of games but I definitely think they know how to stop momentum or keep a drive alive on 3rd down when a team doesn't convert. I'm always skeptical when they throw a flag and don't show the replay.

It's really all about ratings and this is why the NFL continues to try and get the LA market by moving teams there. There is no way the NFL can afford to lose the Northeast market since the Giants and Jets are trash these last few years.

[Jooser]

Ya know it would be one thing if it were only fans of teams that face the *'s that bitch about these slanted calls, but there are NFL players who are raising the flag of suspicion as well. A recent Bleacher Report article following Sunday's game quoted a Tweet from Greg Jennings who said (I'm paraphrasing) "Funny how these calls continue to go the Patriots way time after time."

NE* walked away with what?....two flags the whole game? I don't know fellas, but it smells like you know what....

[feltdizz]

Ya know it would be one thing if it were only fans of teams that face the *'s that bitch about these slanted calls, but there are NFL players who are raising the flag of suspicion as well. A recent Bleacher Report article following Sunday's game quoted a Tweet from Greg Jennings who said (I'm paraphrasing) "Funny how these calls continue to go the Patriots way time after time."

NE* walked away with what?....two flags the whole game? I don't know fellas, but it smells like you know what....

yeah, it's reaching a tipping point. Hell, I think it already had reached that point and the NFL is suffering due to it. I know ratings don't go up forever but I think over-saturation plus seeing the same team get the most head scratching call in the biggest game of the season thus far turns folks off.

Does anyone question what a goal is in hockey? What a FG is in basketball? Just seems like the NFL is set up where refs can decide crucial moments of games and that sucks. I know other sports also have controversial calls but the NFL seems to have the most.

No one should need to be a lawyer to understand why a call stands or not.

The fact that analyst, commenters, retired players and current players all wonder what a catch is and why the same team always comes out on the winning end of every weird call is damning for the league. I also think destroying the tapes and the Ray Rice "we didn't see the video" lie just shows how corrupt the NFL can be.

[Starlifter]

NE* walked away with what?....two flags the whole game? I don't know fellas, but it smells like you know what....

I love a good conspiracy theory- but I thought the game was pretty clean. I don’t recall screaming at the tv about missed calls.

The holding on al was legit. Would have like to see the taunting called of course - but a well played game by both sides IMO.

[Slapstick]

I love a good conspiracy theory- but I thought the game was pretty clean. I don’t recall screaming at the tv about missed calls.

The holding on al was legit. Would have like to see the taunting called of course - but a well played game by both sides IMO.

I would have liked to see the hold/PI called on Ben's last pass: