Wednesday Morning QB (Week 3)
So it has finally happened the replacement referees have finally cost an NFL team a win on one of the biggest stages of the week. The Monday Night game is one of the most popular each week in the NFL with millions of people watching. This past Monday the Green Bay Packers took on the Seattle Seahawks in a game that had upset written all over it. The Packers were not the team they were last year and the Seahawks had looked better every week. The game was a back and forth battle of two good defences as the Seahawks ended the first half with a 7-0 lead. After dominating the Packers and sacking Aaron Rodgers multiple times in the first half and not allowing them to get anything the tides began to turn. As the Packers began to put the ball in Cedric Benson’s hands the Packer offence began to work much better. Two field goals and a TD later the Packers were on top 12-7 going into the fourth quarter. The game to this point was not without controversy already as the referees had called a number of penalties including a pass interference on the defence that kept a Packer drive going despite the slightest of touches by the Seahawks defender. Then came the last few drives where the Packers earned an interception that seemingly iced the game until a questionable roughing the passer call kept the drive going. Then there was a pass interference call on Sam Shields when Sidney Rice had clearly climbed over top of him to go for the ball. Still it wasn’t until the last play of the game where the referees had their biggest impact in the game. With 24 yards to the end zone and only seconds remaining the Seahawks lined up for a Hail Mary pass to end the game with the win. As Russell Wilson rolled out of the pocket he launched a jump ball into the end zone in the direction of Golden Tate. After shoving a defender out of the way, a clear offensive pass interference call that was missed, Tate met Packers’ defensive back MD Jennings in the air. Jennings pulled the ball in with both hands as he fell to the ground while Tate grasped at the ball looking to get it away from the DB. On the ground Tate was able to put two hands on it until Jennings pulled it away. It seemed like the game was over and that Jennings had the interception to preserve the lead and the win. Then the referee came in and signaled a touchdown for the Seahawks. The play was reviewed and stood as called as the Seahawks had won despite a very controversial call that seems to have little argument for it. It was the latest in a week of controversial calls that brought the biggest story in the NFL to a turning point. It was only a matter of time before the replacement referees decided a game. It is the first time that the pressure on the NFL to get the regular referees back has been this bad. The game was decided by bad referees and although regular referees could have blown the call just as easily the fact is it was the replacement referees. As a result this provides the first bit of leverage in the negotiations to find a deal. The question now is whether or not the NFL cares about the integrity of the game and the fans. If they do they will work to create a deal that will help the game even if that means giving the regular referees more money. If the NFL doesn’t care it will show through by not working to get a deal and letting the game continue to falter with referees who are doing their best but cannot keep up with the professional game. It is yet another turning point in the league’s tumultuous year where the game is on the line and the actions of the league can change everything. The coming weeks are important ones for the NFL as they have a chance to turn the decline of the game around or continue on the path that could see the sport suffer in the long run. It is up to the NFL and the way they deal with the referees is the first step especially after the problems were displayed in primetime on Monday night.
Four Quarters
(Four Quick Thoughts on Week 1)
Arizona is no Joke
With only three undefeated teams left in the NFL there are the convincing and some surprising like the Arizona Cardinals who are proving to be a real threat in the NFC this year with a convincing win over Philadelphia
Big Loss for Big Apple
One of the best corners in the game was a big reason for the Jets reputation on defence but this week their biggest player went down and he will not be getting back up after Darrelle Revis tore his ACL and will be out for the season taking away one of the best players in the game
Expect the Unexpected
The season continues to be unpredictable partly because of the replacement referees but not entirely as teams continue to pull out surprising wins and surprising losses in what is turning out to be the most unpredictable year in the NFL
Tragedies Uniting teams
The last few weeks have seen the deaths of NFL icons and NFL villains but also the deaths of significant people in player’s lives including this week when Torrey Smith united his team after playing only hours after he found out his brother was dead
NFL Players of the Week
AFC Players of the Week
AFC Offensive POW:
Jamaal Charles, RB (Kansas City Chiefs)
33 rsh
233 yds
7.1 avg
1 TD
AFC Defensive POW:
Michael Johnson, DE (Cincinnati Bengals)
6 tkl
3.0 sck
0 INT
0 FF
AFC Special Teams POW:
Darius Renaud, KR (Tennessee Titans)
4 Kret
174 yds
43.5 avg
1 TD
NFC Players of the Week
NFC Offensive POW:
Larry Fitzgerald, WR (Arizona Cardinals)
9 rec
114 yds
12.6 avg
1 TD
NFC Defensive POW:
Chris Clemons, DE (Seattle Seahawks)
4 tkl
4.0 sck
0 INT
0 FF
NFC Special Teams POW:
Lawrence Tynes, K (New York Giants)
5/5 FG
49 lng
3/3 XP
18 pts
NFL Standings
American Football Conference
AFC East:
1. New York Jets (.667)
2. Buffalo Bills (.667)
3. New England Patriots (.333)
4. Buffalo Bills (.333)
AFC North:
1. Baltimore Ravens (.667)
2. Cincinnati Bengals (.667)
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (.333)
4. Cleveland Browns (.000)
AFC South:
1. Houston Texans (1.00)
2. Jacksonville Jaguars (.333)
3. Indianapolis Colts (.333)
4. Tennessee Titans (.333)
AFC West:
1. San Diego Chargers (.667)
2. Oakland Raiders (.333)
3. Denver Broncos (.333)
4. Kansas City Chiefs (.333)
National Football Conference:
NFC East:
1. Dallas Cowboys (.667)
2. New York Giants (.667)
3. Philadelphia Eagles (.667)
4. Washington Redskins (.333)
NFC North:
1. Chicago Bears (.667)
2. Minnesota Vikings (.667)
3. Green Bay Packers (.333)
4. Detroit Lions (.333)
NFC South:
1. Atlanta Falcons (1.00)
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (.333)
3. Carolina Panthers (.333)
4. New Orleans Saints (.000)
NFC West:
1. Arizona Cardinals (1.00)
2. San Francisco 49ers (.667)
3. Seattle Seahawks (.667)
4. St. Louis Rams (.333)
Key Scores:
Kansas City Chiefs 27 – 24 New Orleans Saints
– The troubles continue in New Orleans as the Saints continue to miss their head coach with another loss this time to the Chiefs who earned their first win against the struggling Saints and hope to make it a trend
Minnesota Vikings 24 – 13 San Francisco 49ers
– The Niners were the best team in the NFL bar none as they had rolled over everyone in their first two weeks but Christian Ponder and the Vikings solved the riddle of the 49ers defence as they surprised the top team in the conference for their second win of the season
Tennessee Titans 44 – 41 Detroit Lions (OT)
– The Titans were up 20-9 in at the half but blew the lead and let the Lions climb back in until a Hail Mary sent the game to overtime but the Titans fought back as Rob Bironas hit the game winning field goal
Seattle Seahawks 14 – 12 Green Bay Packers
– Despite the bad calls the Packers offence looked like a shell of their former self while the defences showcased their skills in a hard-fought defensive struggle that was overshadowed by a controversial call in the last play of the game
Next Week:
New England Patriots vs. Buffalo Bills (September 30th; 1:00 pm EDT)
– Last year at this time the Bills took on the Patriots and achieved one of the biggest upsets of the year and this year they hope to do the same and kick-start their team while the Pats are looking to recover from two losses in a row
San Francisco 49ers vs. New York jets (September 30th; 1:00 pm EDT)
– Both teams are in tough this week as the Niners need to react to their first loss of the season while the Jets need to react to the loss of their start DB but which team will come out on top is anybody’s guess in this wild season
Carolina Panthers vs. Atlanta Falcons (September 30th; 1:00 pm EDT)
– The Atlanta Falcons are one of three teams without a loss this year but in this year anything is possible including Cam Newton leading his team against the Falcons in the Georgia Dome to be the first to beat Atlanta this year
New Orleans Saints vs. Green Bay Packers (September 30th; 4:25 pm EDT)
– The Saints are in trouble without a win and not looking like themselves while the Packers are in the same boat but the main story will be seeing how the Packers recover from their controversial finish on Monday Night
The Sport Addiction 