I don’t usually write about the officiating, but the officials put in a weak performance yesterday. They did not take control of the game from the outset. They missed defensive holding calls on both sides and they missed some blatant offensive holding calls, too.
I can understand the final play of the game where the back judge and the side judge both swallowed their whistles. The last thing you want is an official’s call to determine the outcome of the Super Bowl – similar to what you see in the NBA where a foul has to draw blood to be called at the end of a game.
Michael Crabtree did a horrible job against press coverage on that final play, and when he hesitated off the line of scrimmage like he was attempting to set up cornerback Jimmy Smith with a stutter step, it was all over. Crabtree doesn’t have the quickness to win in that close environment after a stutter step when the defense is blitzing.
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I actually posted this earlier on the coaching grades, but this is probably a better place:
Just curious as to why nobody is bringing up the ridiculous non call on the blatant holding on the kickoff return for TD. Two Ravens were bear hugging and nearly undressed Miller while pulling his jersey right in the middle of the field. Much worse no call than on Crabtree.
Yes, I saw that too and could not believe that did not get called. That was ridiculous!! He got through everyone for the return TD because of the obvious holding – bear hugging.
the ref’s didn’t call the holding because the fix was in
POI, you are the only one that has even noticed that play! NOBODY even metioned it on the TV or news!!! How about the dozen personal fouls by the Ravens slapping our punching our team!
I saw it, too. You should check it out from the end zone view, with Jones running towards the camera. It was absolutely holding and it was right out in the open. Horrible no call, and horrible that CBS missed it.
I’m just sick to my stomach that the scumbag Ray Lewis is going to get another ring.
There was two holding calls on that play (kick off after halftime)….how that was missed is beyond me….
Also CBS did a lousy job showing replays …Boomer is good …but Jim Nantz has to go !!! Most Boring Man Ever !!!
supposedly some of these officials had their grades massaged so they could get into the SB
i guess the early game melee was somewhat forgotten….in fact one raven player, i think 29, pushed a ref…..
nobody thrown out…..turned out to be the ravens kind of game once they figured out the refs….
Yeah, that was Williams, 29. The refs set the tone that it was going to be hands off right there – which I agree with, *up to a point… but you should never get away with shoving an official.
Yea- the NFL wanted someone with a darker skin pigment to ref the game- not the best group for the game. We got a second rate officiating crew and it showed.
I still have nagging thoughts about the calls- there were a lot of calls that went the ravens way- things that just seemed odd. Like the obvious favorable spot in the 4th quarter that Harbaugh luckily threw a flag on. That one was so obvious and the guy who spotted the ball came to the ball out of position- boldin was actually sitting down inside the down marker. Just very very odd.
Don’t think your first sentence was necessary? So all black refs suck?
It is the truth Neal- Peter king mentioned it last week. The NFL wanted “diversity”
Suede,
Their that other Black ref who is decent, that I see all of the time, they should of use him. The refs lacked any type of courage.
I think the whole thing is lame- i write the darker pigment thing because I think it is all BS. We live in a non-racial time and when we continue to separate races and provide different opportunities to people because of skin color- we will never get over race. It is such a stupid thing
And at a larger point- the media bends over backward to get upset at Lovie Smith, Horton, and even singletary not getting real shots- but forget that the game doesnt reward good defensive teams anymore- it is all about offense and it sucks. I think Smith and Horton would definately be hired if the NFL still played by 1990′s rules. But everyone wants to see race everywhere- it is pathetic
Suede,
Don’t think you should make assumptions like that unless you have something to support your claims. Referees get graded for their jobs in the Super Bowl so your assumption is incorrect. You may have stepped a bit too far with that one.
23Jordan- this is common knowledge that something was screwy with Boger being chosen- it wasnt due to him being good. Feel free to apologize to me.
http://www.footballzebras.com/2013/01/20/6711/
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/01/25/some-officials-cry-foul-over-jerome-boger-refereeing-the-super-bowl/
http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/nfl–officials-question-nfl-s-process-for-selecting-super-bowl-referee-145832403.html
Also here is the full list of the refs that participated:
http://espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs/2012/story/_/id/8897592/super-bowl-xlvii-nfl-announces-officiating-crew
The list is “diverse” and if you look them up on the zebra’s list- they are not the top scored refs working. Just curiouser and curiouser. This was also the second time in a game THIS SEASON that a player bumped/pushed an official and wasnt throw out of a game for it by Boger.
Suede,
Still looking for where in the link that Boger was chosen because he was black. It sounds like you think he was unqualified because he was black. Read what you wrote. How many of the officials did you see on the field that were African American? Was Boger responsible for making all the calls? Did he throw all the flags? What does color have to do with anything according to these articles? Didn’t think so.
The rest of this alleged second rate group were white. Can you explain that. Were they 2nd rate as well?
I will help you Jordan- 3 out of 7 were black. And none of the 7 were top ranking- so I don’t know what the answer was for the other four.
The yahoo article talks about how the NFL wanted to make the group “diverse” to make up for the lack of black coaches. You will also notice that the person who changed Boger’s scores- a Mr. Anderson- also happens to be black and also happens to be a big proponant of “diversity.” A google search will show you all about that.
Also the espn article mentions that many black coaches around the league approved of the super bowl make-up- it was political jordan. Sorry those are the facts.
And if you try to paint me as racist somehow- please look back through my posts- defending kaep against people who were for Alex just because he looked better to him and more safe. I believe in merit- always- I dont see the color of skin- and i wish the rest of the world was more like me.
Actually read up on the other four as well- the NFL didnt choose any of the top- long time officials – because most were leaders of the referee union and the NFL wanted to punish them.
But Bogar was ranked 9th best in the league- so they really reached on that one. So there you go- the league wanted to punish the #1 guys and chose a diverse squad because it worked out and placated the black coaches, NFL administration guys.
You may or may not be right. Could have been political to make up for some of the Rooney nonsense lately. The thing is, we can’t buy the conspiracy theory stuff. And the officials were probably poor in all regards – our guys probably got away with some stuff, too.
It boils down to preparation and execution. In the all-22 video it clearly shows (as an example) that we did, in fact, have an illegal formation early in the game that wiped out a nice toss for a gain.
So yeah, it wasn’t a top-flight crew, they got lazy toward the end and, “let the players play.” The thug that pushed the ref should have been tossed, and I don’t care what Perreira says, Crabs was held past five yards at the end, with two hands – it was clearly shown from several angles, but…
Preparation and execution. Flacco beat our secondary like a drum AND we made a series of mistakes that cost the game. That final desperation fade was a joke and was probably too high for Crabs anyway.
We’ll never know.
Blaming the refs is the easy way out though. We should have played better. Then it’s all a moot point. Convert third downs and stop the other team from converting third downs.
Anyone who says “you may or may not be right” really does deserve to be recognized by Mensa.
@ Big Suede:
You’ll have to forgive jordy. He just makes stuff up when he comments, and he assumes everyone else does too. Doing research and actually knowing what you are talking about before posting a comment is a foreign concept to him. It’s like he is allergic to knowledge.
Good luck getting that apology.
Suede,
So who shot JFK? Seeing that you’re into conspiracy theories. Facts are nice. Bottom line is refs called it bad both ways. Gotta play beyond the refs. Black or white.
Jordan,
Show me a call against the Ravens as bad as the holding on Miller on jones’ kick off return for a TD. Have gone back to look at that?
Also, if they’re going to call PI on Culliver (a call which I agreed with), then how can they not call it on Smith?
Yes, the 49ers made mistakes that put themselves in position to be screwed by the refs, but they were screwed by the refs. There’s just no getting around it.
Ex,
Try the late hit out of bounds on flacco from Soap. Flacco got hit standing out of bound. What about the late hit by Goldson on Ray Rice leading with the head and late in the 1st quarter right up the middle. What about tge holding call on our offensive line on that long out pattern to moss in the 3rd quarter. I cant remember who it was on. I just kept praying that the refs didnt see it.
@ exgolfer, 23welcher:
Not to speak for Big Suede, but I believe his point was not that the NFL selected Boger & Co. with the intent of screwing the 49ers, but rather that, in the interest of diversity, the NFL employed a second rate crew of officials for the most important game of the year. The poorly-officiated mess we saw Sunday night was the inevitable result.
@ 23welcher:
Facts are nice.
Yes, they are. You should try familiarizing yourself with them before commenting, particularly if you are going to suggest another commenter is racist.
@ Suede:
I guess a strawman attack is as close as you’re going to come to receiving an apology.
Claude,
I don’t think it was a planned screwing of the 49ers. It just so happened that 49ers came out on the short end of the officiating stick on Sunday.
@ exgolfer:
Understood. Sorry to drag you into it.
Claude,
If you werent speaking for Suede? STFU! Mind your business clown!
@ 23 welcher:
Sorry, Chuckles, but this is a public forum, not a private chat room. You made it everyone’s business when you tried to label him as a racist in front of us. If we want to comment on the subject, Bozo, we are free to do so.
Perhaps if you STFU instead of posting false accusations and other fictional nonsense, you wouldn’t have to deal with commenters calling you on your b/s so often. Or you can keep doing what you do, Bubbles; it’s worked so well for you thus far.
Claude,
Can you make up your mind? Which is it, Chuckles, Bozo, or Bubbles?
Grant, on the safety as well. A 49er was being held and the ref was only about 5 feet away from it.
I blame the 49ers bad play in the first half for the loss, but the ref’s did a very poor job on failing to make the obvious calls.
it was interesting how the ravens were the most penalized team during the year and only had two flags in the SB
yeah and one of them was the holding when raven ran the kick off for touchdown can anyone defend that one
Today is the most painful day as a fan of the 49ers.
I hear you,
It’s hard to come to terms of a 49er Team losing a SB. Man it really hurts especially how the game ended on the 5 yd line.
But time does heal all wounds. And this will pass also, it’ll just take a little longer.
I’m not a violent person. But I felt like going Goodfellas on those refs after the game!
I felt like crap all last night and most of today. But I’m starting to come around to remember that we have a very good team of mostly young/in their prime players. There are 2 very key guys getting on in age in J Smith and Gore, but the future is very bright for this team. So I expect them to have success for the next several years based on that and the coaching staff. Plus, I’d much rather be getting over this superbowl loss than getting over a 4-12 season or 8-8 season.
I hear this all the time and hate the argument. It is so hard to get to the superbowl so you have to take advantage of it when you get a shot. We are not in the AFC west or east conference where we will be gift wrapped wins. Every team in our division has a good defense. And Seattle could very easily take it to us next year.
The real problem is we are one Justin Smith injury away for the 28th ranked defense in the league. We have to try and find a better back up for him.
Datone Jones in April!
I think the Refs let “both” teams play, and didn’t make themselves an issue in the game. From what I saw, “both” teams were holding & pushing each other….Basically the Refs let them play the game. Ultimately the 49ers play calling did them in, especially on that last drive. Also, it didn’t help that the 49ers dug themselves a hole to dig out of during the 1st half of the game.
The refs may have let the game go, but if you look at the balance of the calls, you see very quickly that all the calls and non-calls favored the Ravens in critical situations. It’s not an acceptable outcome when the imbalance is so obvious.
had to be the non-calls…..7 penalties in total, right
JGWindsor
7 calls. On Culliver (game-changing), on Moss, on Brooks, on Aldon … one on Ravens for roughing the passer, one for running into the kicker
Noncalls: on the kick-off (game changing), on the off-sides on Reed, on the safety, on the Offensive PI, on the punch to the ref, on the mugging of Crabtree, etc…
Like I said. Total imbalance.
I can understand the final play of the game where the back judge and the side judge both swallowed their whistles. The last thing you want is an official’s call to determine the outcome of the Super Bowl – similar to what you see in the NBA where a foul has to draw blood to be called at the end of a game.
1. Exactly how did the officials not determine the outcome of the game by swallowing their whistles?
2. Are you seriously holding out NBA officiating as a model for all to emulate?
Two excellent points.
Claude,
I’ve never understood, and totally reject, the idea that an action that should result in a flag can be called a penalty in the first quarter, but not late in the fourth.
It makes no sense, and likely comes from officials affraid to make a mistake. And over time, the practice has become accepted. It’s a shame, and it’s totally wrong, IMO.
The crazy thing is- i could point to two times this season during the niner games that that exact play would be called PI-
And there are a lot of people that gloss over it saying that Bowman got over on the pass two weeks earlier- neglecting to point out that bowman was within the 5 yard bump zone, while crab was 7 yards passed the line of scrimage when he was held.
I also think after all the reports that the officiating crew was subpar- the last thing any of them are going to do is let on that it was a bad call.
Grant Cohn says: “Michael Crabtree did a horrible job against press coverage on that final play, and when he hesitated off the line of scrimmage like he was attempting to set up cornerback Jimmy Smith with a stutter step, it was all over. Crabtree doesn’t have the quickness to win in that close environment after a stutter step when the defense is blitzing.”
————————————
but what does that have to do with the ref’s not making what I believe was a very obvious call. the gravity of the game as you suggest is what made them not make the call but I say it should be the opposite. with so much on the line you have to make such an obvious call regardless of the potential consequences, a foul is a foul.
because crabtree initiated the contact and could disengage quick enough….crab was trying to create a certian look and ended up on the wrong page according to his QB’s throw
could not
Windsor,
Totally disagree that Crabtree iniated contact on that play. He pushed back, but that was only after Smith had a fist full of jersey with one hand and was also grabbing Crabtree with the other.
Seen games with far worse officiating than yesterday. Nothing more pathetic than to continue to complain about the officials. Refs didn’t beat us, the ravens did. Also, even if crabtree had beat jimmy smith off the line on the last play, the throw was terrible. It was way to high for crabtree to even come close. Our red zone offense was terrible.
I think you need to look at the play again — twice. First look at where the ball is as in passes in front of Crabtree’s hands and then go back and look at how much the defender slows him down with a very obvious arm bar.
Jdilla if the kick off return touch down was called back for holding like it should have been Niners win that game and we are not having this conversation about the last 4 plays because either it would have been 4 run’s and one would have been touchdown or on 4th field goal increase the lead
This was the worst officiated Superbowl since Seattle was robbed against the Steelers. I would hate to think the NFL was as biased as NBA but I don’t have much evidence against that hypothesis right now. According to this game it is okay to hit other players, push a ref, hold on a kickoff return, hold in the endzone, etc. This ridiculous sentiment about the refs not deciding the game is true but they do that by being consistence play in and play out along with game in and game out. NOT by changing the rules halfway through (or in the championship game). Granted the Niners played lousy the first half (and a play) but that doesn’t excuse the refs from doing their jobs. Just that fact that the refs were so poor some people are thinking it was set up so the murderer could go out a champion should scare the heck out of the NFL, it is one step closer to being the WWE (or the NBA). Well Niner fans we can still say we are 5-0 against the NFL in Superbowls against other teams but, 0-1 against the other team AND the refs (just like the last time the NFC west faced the AFC north).
Stop whining, your embarrassing yourself. It should never have come down to that final play anyway if we had played even a decent first half. Do you not remember only 2 weeks ago when Bowman pretty clearly was holding Roddy White on the same type of game winning 4th down play. We benefited from that no call and it got us to the superbowl. Calls go both ways. Like I said, the refs didn’t cost us the game, our inability to do anything the first half did.
That’s why they play two halfs. The first half doesn’t chang what happened in the second half with the comeback being poured on. It was a hold and one of the worst officiated games in recent memory. Plain and simple.
Where were you 2 weeks ago standing up for all the falcon fans claiming they got robbed? Can’t have it both ways. Even Crabtree won’t complain about the refs. He also said he wished the ball was thrown better so he could make a play.
Jdilla: The refs didn’t cost us the game at the end, but they did cost us a chance to win by not making the Crabtree call.
And the non-call on the kickoff return was pretty critical, especially given that the Ravens offense only managed 6 second half points.
grosse,
So did the refs cost the falcons a chance to go to the superbowl 2 weeks ago when we played them? Same exact scenario except we got the benefit. My point is, it shouldn’t have come down that play. Yes the ravens only scored 6 points in the 2nd half, but we also only scored 6 points in the 1st half. Playing from behind is not the formula for winning. We got lucky against the falcons coming from behind. It finally caught up to us yesterday.
You forgot the Ravens player that shoved a Ref and the refs did nothing…..
He should have been ejected. By rule!
In the same sequence that same player threw a punch at a 49er with to referees watching. Or what about the offensive pass interference on the would be interception by Culliver. Or how about the pass interference call on Culliver that looked exactly like the one that wasn’t called against Crabtree except this one would have given the 49ers 4 more chances to score the go ahead score.
With 2 referees watching
http://www.businessinsider.com/cary-williams-shoves-a-ref-2013-2
It bothers me when people say it shouldn’t have come down to the final play. Championship games often come down to the final play. It’s been like that for the past few years. And it’s what everyone wants. So for a final play with less than 2 minutes to go to decide the game, that’s when the refs need to step up and make sure the game is decided fairly. By not calling a foul on Smith, the refs did decide the game. It would have been nice if the niners blew the ravens out or vice versa, but it wasn’t. So the final play is important regardless.
It was a huge call when we stopped them on 3rd down and they got the pass interference call. I saw a raven player even PUSH a ref. not even a flag let alone an ejection. I also saw horse collar tackles by the ravens that weren’t called. I also a raven slap a 49er players helmet. I also saw P Willis make a tackle on 2nd down and the first down was given. The second gift they tried to give them Harbaugh had to challenge.
None of them were called. That last play I think MC gets up and gets that ball. He was held and robbed of a title. Plain an simple.
It was as bad as the Ben R touchdown call.
The refs did a poor job, but the reasons for the loss went much deeper. Here are my top reasons we lost.
1. Chris Culliver letting Jacoby Jones get behind him. Inexcusable. If I am Harbaugh, I cut Culliver immediately for just that one play alone.
2. The penalty on the first play of the game. Wiped out a 20 yard gain and changed the entire complexion of the game. Again, absolutely inexcusable. It was the first play of the game. That kind of mistake is something which simply cannot be tolerated.
3. The kick-off coverage team going to sleep and letting Jones go 100+ on the second half kick-off. Someone needs to be fired for that.
4. The use of timeout by Harbaugh to avoid a delay of game penalty on the last drive. The timeout was far more precious than a measly five yards at that time. What’s the difference between 2nd and goal at the 7 and 2nd and goal at the 12. But, the extra timeout would have meant the Ravens not taking a safety, and the Niners would have got the ball around midfield down 5 with about 45 seconds. An eternity in the NFL. Gross mismanagement by Harbaugh.
Rick,
Your item number three is not complete. Bruce Miller would’ve been in perfect position to make the play on Jones had he not been obviously held by two Ravens.
It sure looks like Miller could’ve made a play.
http://i.imgur.com/TMZQ9Ug.jpg
the kick off return there was 2 ravens holding
and no call
Grant, I hear you, the refs were atrocious, but ultimately, the 9ers didn’t execute. Getting behind and playing catch up is never a recipe for success especially if you are rated the more dominant and talented team. I thought JiHar would be outcoached by his brother and it would be a close game. I stated so at the end of last week. It’s so difficult to get to a SB and losing is very disappointing. Now time to look to the draft and hopefully picks that can shore up the gaps and player movement that will occur through FA.
Maiocco says in this article(see link below) that there were seven obvious holding penalties on the safety. He is making the point that the penalty would have still resulted in a safety, ok fine. But even if he was exaggerating by double how on God’s green earth can you have three or more obvious holding penalties on the same play and still not get a flag thrown?
http://www.csnbayarea.com/blog/matt-maiocco/holding-penalties-wouldnt-have-changed-outcome
Did anybody notice the amount of purple colors bein worn by espn analysts on espn leading up to game and I noticed yesterday.Im like this is crazy..purple suits..purple tie..im like wtf..Steve young and jerry rice as well…Hmmmm.
As far as im concerned..crabtree’s helmet to helmet hit on third and goal in final two mins of game shouldve given us a fresh set of downs at 1..thus the holding the next play wouldnt have mattered
Then u can run..run.run..eating clock and still have two timeouts to work with..just in case..i like those odds more than bein at the five yrd line in the finale scenario which occured.
The lesson learned from this is that Jim Harbaugh needs to run up the score on every damn opponent next year. This way, the game won’t be subject to a referee’s call (NFC Championship game quick whistle on forward progress last year) or non call (all the ones already listed by posters here).
Fact is that brother John knows all the rules infinitely better than Jim at this point. John is like that excellent tax accountant that knows all the loopholes, er strategies, that are available to lower your income or tax liability.
Jim got out coached. John loves to compete just as much as Jim but he also knows when to cheat because it is allowed in the rules at certain times. Jim thought he walked into a boxing ring. John knew it was a UFC octagon.
Or maybe John was Mike Tyson and Jim was Evander Holyfield’s ear.
Do you guys remember Flacco chucking it up and our DB in position to intercept it. The Ravens receiver mauled our DB before the ball even got there and there was no call…… Wow.
And why wasn’t Raven’s Williams (#29) NOT thrown out of the game when he hit the ref???????? When they had that big pileup of a fight, 29 stood up, and pushed the ref backwards rather abusively. But the worst non call was in the endzone when the Ravens were holding on for dear life, right in front of the refs. They bear hugged them , then took them to the ground. A lousy way to win a game.
With me being a die hard Niner fan for over 30 years this may come across as sour grapes. Let me begin this rant by saying by no means do I think officiating cost them the Super Bowl. You can’t give a Super Bowl opponent a 22 point lead and then decide to start playing with less than one half of football left and expect to win. The Ravens played the better overall game and deserved the win.
I used to gripe about the nhl and their “put the whistles away” officiating come playoff time. The third period and overtime would be time to let the players play and we don’t want to decide the game with a penalty. The problem being the players can’t be left to play unsupervised and thus the game becomes a joke without rules. I would always point to the NFL as an example of how games should be officiated.
If there was a penalty, regardless of the time or situation of the game, a flag is thrown more often than not. After watching this past Super Bowl, I can no longer view the NFL in the same light. From the blatant hold on the kick return td, to Goldson leading with his helmet hitting Rice while he was stopped in the pile, to Flacco getting blasted a yard out of bounds, to Crabtree getting hammered helmet to helmet, the refs turned a blind eye to virtually everything. How does a ref get shoved by a player and not eject him?
The league should be embarrassed with the level of officiating in the biggest sporting event in North America and with millions all over the world watching.
Niners play in 2nd quarter didn’t cost them the game– officials did.
First, I’m not a huge fan of either team. I do believe however the Niners were on the bad end of a significant amount of calls in crucial moments of the game. Let me review just the 2nd quarter. The score was 7-3 at the end of the first quarter (could have been 7-7 if Krueger gets called for lining up in the neutral zone on 3 and 7. He sack Kaepernick and forces FG).
The Ravens were taking extra “cheap shots” all game long. The game was out of hand even before the scrum (see #97 balt- Jones and balt- #24 at 10:29 first quarter– both should have been ejected)
Here’s where it cost the Niners. Upshaw should have been penalized and potentially tossed at 13:56 when he gives an unecessary shove to Vernon Davis. But, the hallmark was the non helmet-to-helmet call on Upshaw when he tries to rip LaMichael James’ head off and forces a fumble at 11:56. This should have been a no-brainer, especially in the era of concussions and player safety. This non-call was a minimum 10 point swing as the Niners were in field goal range. Ravens went on to score a TD.
The next big play was Kaepernick’s interception at 7:06. However, a Ravens DL lined up in the neutral zone again. No call. It should have been a free play for the Niners. Instead Lewis and Upshaw cheap shot Niners players on the int. return and #29 Williams shove an official. No calls. A 7-point swing in favor of the Ravens.
The game should have been tied at half-time and of course Jones KOR TD should have been called back for holding.
the fix was in that’s why ref’s didn’t call those the holding when returned for td the holding at end of game no ejection for shoving ref the off side and pass interference 5 things that was game changes
Not a fan of either, but a football fan. I saw that live, rewound it and went nuts. They held him as move about 9 yards down the field. No excuse for not calling it, and it was a game changer. A Raven shoves an official, and no call. The 49ers should be great next season (again, not a fan of either). Fans should be proud of the team, and excited for the next season….and when Ray Lewis is wearing an orange jumpsuit (a matter of time), you will feel better!
if the ref’s are going to let the players play then take the ref’s out of it fire all of them tell the plays they are no rules no penalties and let the blood bath begin
Roger S. Goodell needs to keep the grades for the ref’s him self gade them him self from tape of games then keep the grades under lock and key where only he can get them so no other ref can change them to get in the super bowl when they don’t belong