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Posted

When the refs called the touchback on the punt, I couldn't figure out why and I missed the explanation by the refs along with the people around me. Did they think that the five yard line was endzone line. On the replay they kept showing Brad Smith's feet so I assumed that the refs thought that the guy on our side that downed it went out of bounds and he was the first person to touch the ball which would then move it to the twenty. Did anyone hear an explanation of the explanation.

Posted

It wasn't explained. The only thing I could come up with watching the replay was that a couple of Bills ran into the EZ as the ball was being downed at the 4. Maybe one of the refs thought that one of those two carried the ball with them.

 

Nothing else makes sense (other than you wondering whether they didn't know where they were on the field).

Posted

The ruling on the field was that the ball was touched in the end zone. Beyond that, there was no explanation. It is apparent that their reasoning was not logical....

Posted

I read somwhere, the ref thought the 5 yard line was the endzone...

That's unbelievable! Not that I don't believe you, but could a ref, even a replacement ref get lost on the field? Here's a clue: look down...if you see green you are on the field of play.
Posted (edited)

I find it hard to believe they thought the 5 was the goal line but you never know with replacement refs. My take was that they thought Brad Smith had caught the ball and stepped into the end zone. If you watch the replay Smith is running right next to Martin when the ball comes down. So the ref on the goal line on the sideline away from the camera (visitor's side) had to think he caught it. Smith then continues to the goal line and tip toes to keep from stepping on it but that ref clearly sees him step on it. He had to be the one who made the bad call.

 

There's still no excuse for the call. The refs should've talked it over and told the errant ref that Martin had the ball and had downed it on the 4. I'd chalk it up to the lack of familiarity with each other between the members of the referee team.

Edited by UpperDeck
Posted (edited)

IIRC from the feed I was watching, there was a ref/line judge near where the ball was down and threw a blue marker where we downed it. So the only thing I can think of is that, like others have speculated, the refs must have gone under the assumption that < or = to the 5 was a touchback. Incomprehensible.

Edited by Double-J
Posted (edited)

I was under the impression that they thought a guy who went out of bounds was the first to touch the ball (Easley), when in fact it was Martin.

 

Edit: This was what the announcers in Washington said, anyways. It appears a different story happened with Buffalo's announcers. DAMN YOU THEISMAN!

Edited by Dorkington
Posted

For all of the nonsensical things that Bills fans are concerned with today, THIS was my biggest worry of the game! There is no excuse for blowing that call, heck there was a ref right next to the play!

 

These replacement refs could be a real wildcard this season. Everyone hates the normal refs that actually have some NFL game day experience, what are people going to think of the replacements by the end of year...

Posted

Gailey, Tasker, and Moorman got it right at least. I don't expect we'll see replacement refs when the real football begins.

If I were Shanahan, I'd have moved to hike that ball a little quicker LOL!

Posted

For all of the nonsensical things that Bills fans are concerned with today, THIS was my biggest worry of the game! There is no excuse for blowing that call, heck there was a ref right next to the play!

 

These replacement refs could be a real wildcard this season. Everyone hates the normal refs that actually have some NFL game day experience, what are people going to think of the replacements by the end of year...

 

Agreed, for as much as I've complained about refs in the past, we are in for a world of pain this year if they do not get the ref situation figured out.

Posted

im pretty sure the refs didnt confuse the five yard line for the endzone. but the actual explanation is almost as bad. one of them had to confuse smith for martin. he was probably looking at his feet, saw him tip toe alone the line and finally touch it, then got confused about who had the ball. still pretty bad

Posted

I was under the impression that they thought a guy who went out of bounds was the first to touch the ball (Easley), when in fact it was Martin.

 

Edit: This was what the announcers in Washington said, anyways. It appears a different story happened with Buffalo's announcers. DAMN YOU THEISMAN!

 

If a guy runs out of bounds and is the first to touch the ball, it's a penalty, not a touchback. The only way it's a touchback is if a guy runs into the endzone and fails to establish his position back out of the endzone before touching the ball.

Posted

If a guy runs out of bounds and is the first to touch the ball, it's a penalty, not a touchback. The only way it's a touchback is if a guy runs into the endzone and fails to establish his position back out of the endzone before touching the ball.

 

Either way it's inexcusably stupid.

 

When Theisman was explaining that "Oh, they mistook the guy touching it as the guy who ran out of bounds, so made it a touchback" I was thinking "What? That's not a touchback, you moron." But I couldn't figure out why they would put the ball at the 20 otherwise.

 

Just bad officiating, no matter how you call it.

Posted

Just bad officiating, no matter how you call it.

 

Ain't that the truth. I was dumbfounded by that call.

Posted

Gailey's head nearly exploded.

 

The refs nearly blew another call at the end of the first half. The crew calling the game gave the refs credit for recognizing that an offensive penalty inside 1 minute resulted in a 10 second runoff (thereby ending the quarter). Apparently, it was Gailey who let them in on this rule.

 

Can you imagine if this stuff happens during the regular season? Yesh. I know there are badly called games, but this is beyond the pale. Time for the NFL to pony up and bring the real refs back. It's disrespectful to the players, other employees, and fans.

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