Epenesa is second player in 2 weeks ejected for contact with referee John Hussey

[SoCal Deek]

For the old timers on here I remember when the Bills lost a critical game to the Dolphins during their infamous decade long winning streak for this very same thing. I cannot recall the exact circumstance but I believe Miami was either given a crucial first down to retain possession and then ran the clock out, or the call overturned a turnover, or something like that. 

[Not at the table Karlos]

1 hour ago, thenorthremembers said:

Ref puts his hands on Epenesa then gets pissed because Epenesa puts his hands on him...

 

Epenesa had his back to no lip and reacted to hands being put on him during a scrum.    Pretty much any human would have done the same thing.

 

Hussey is one of my least favorite refs due to the amount of penalties his crew also seem to call.  If you don't want to be touched, don't put your hands on someone else.  Bottom line.

Did Epenesa even touch him? It looks like the ref was touching AJ and AJ kinda shrugged him off. 

[Dan Darragh]

1 minute ago, blacklabel said:

That ref is a real weenie. He probably got shoved into lockers during high school. 

I remember him from high school.  Every day someone gave him a wedgie and stole his lunch money.

[Not at the table Karlos]

30 minutes ago, Matt_In_NH said:

It was a sincere question.   He made contact with an official, probably thought it was a Steelers player but he go booted and from as far as I can tell it had no affect on the game nor will it affect future games.   Was the official wrong?

Yes. 

[Doc]

Good to hear there will likely be no suspension.  

[thenorthremembers]

1 hour ago, Chaos said:

Refs need to put thier hands on players to separate them all the time. Players don't get to elbow a ref because they touched them. 

The mistake he made was grabbing him from behind.  Epenesa had no idea if it was a ref or an opposing player.   He reacted in the heat of the moment. 

[Chaos]

1 minute ago, thenorthremembers said:

The mistake he made was grabbing him from behind.  Epenesa had no idea if it was a ref or an opposing player.   He reacted in the heat of the moment. 

Here's the thing. He can't do that or he will be kicked out of the game. Hopefully he learns, rather than rationalizes. 

[Matt_In_NH]

20 minutes ago, Not at the table Karlos said:

Did Epenesa even touch him? It looks like the ref was touching AJ and AJ kinda shrugged him off. 

Sure looks like he did.  The ref was separating the teams and was pushing Epenesa away from the bigger group when Epenesa swung his elbow back.  

 

https://dailysnark.com/2022/10/09/bills-a-j-epenesa-got-into-an-altercation-with-referee-during-game-vs-steelers/

[Heavy Kevi]

Drama queen ref who wants a headline and is high on authority? Yup.

 

Expenses thought it was a player and shrugs him off? Yup

 

Unfortunate but you still can't do it. Two wise(ish) men before me made the point in song "I fought the law and the law won" and "when I fight authority, authority always wins". This is the reality, and unless it continues to be a theme, nothing will happen, except maybe his crew gets banned from officiating the SB.

[2020 Our Year For Sure]

26 minutes ago, SoCal Deek said:

For the old timers on here I remember when the Bills lost a critical game to the Dolphins during their infamous decade long winning streak for this very same thing. I cannot recall the exact circumstance but I believe Miami was either given a crucial first down to retain possession and then ran the clock out, or the call overturned a turnover, or something like that. 

Also Andre Reed in a playoff game in Miami when we had the ball near the goal line.

[pocoboy]

1 hour ago, Chaos said:

Refs need to put thier hands on players to separate them all the time. Players don't get to elbow a ref because they touched them. 

 

He wasn't separating Epenesa. He touched him on the back, yeah it's not like he kidney punched him or anything, but in that situation everyone's in a froth. It would be understandable that Epenesa, in not seeing Hussey, would assume it was a Steeler looking to stir up more trouble in a game where they're getting destroyed.

 

Hussey's just a terrible official who routinely loses control in his games. And this stuff fuels it more, it creates bad blood with players and gives him guys he can have a chip on his shoulder towards.

19 minutes ago, Matt_In_NH said:

Sure looks like he did.  The ref was separating the teams and was pushing Epenesa away from the bigger group when Epenesa swung his elbow back.  

 

https://dailysnark.com/2022/10/09/bills-a-j-epenesa-got-into-an-altercation-with-referee-during-game-vs-steelers/

 

Epenesa was being 5X the situation control specialist that Hussey was. AJ was pushing away his own teammate from the scrum.  Just another older high-earner running his side gig trying to show off on camera for the boys back at the clubhouse.

[Beck Water]

3 hours ago, RobbRiddicksTDLeap said:

That ref was really heated though. I’m sure that he’s going to tell his other Dentist buddies at the golf course ALLLLL about it today. 
 

“I don’t care that you’re 6’4” 255lbs, pal. I says to him, you’re on my field now Mr.” 
 

All jokes aside, it’s good to see a ref take control of a potentially volatile situation. After the Pickett hit, it looked like there was going to be real trouble in this game. Sometimes you have to make a stand to let the players know that anyone can go… granted there was a minute left, but still. 

 

With the score out of hand, the play was IMO getting a bit out of hand from Pittsburgh.  The spearing of Dawkins Simon referenced, AJE was hauled down to the ground by his facemask (no call), etc.

 

And the refs did NOT bring that in hand (because they didn't want to dump a bunch of penalties on a team that was getting smashed, perhaps?).  If the Bills are smart they send a pretty long tape to the league asking for clarification about why these things aren't penalties, to set the understanding for why Lawson was still going hard after Pickett on the last play.

 

Pittsburgh has always had a rep with us as a hard-playing but clean team, they couldn't match us so they were getting dirty.

 

Hamlin I don't think would have blown things up.  It's pretty clear to me on film that Hamlin pulls up so that he just contacts Pickett's back, and Pickett is known for the "fake slide".  Also, Pickett and Hamlin played together and are friends, the Steelers and Pitt share facilities.  The team knows Hamlin, Tomlin said "I don't have a problem with DHam, he's a good kid" after the game.

 

I don't think with Epenesa, the ref was "making a stand".  I think he was instigating, then reacting.

[Beerball]

5 hours ago, Nextmanup said:

Doc Brown: that was my immediate reaction watching on TV too!  

 

The ref does not react to the elbow; he reacts to whatever Epenesa says to him.

 

Or it's a combination of the two, but without knowing what Epenesa says, we don't really know the story.

 

 

Not sure if TV showed anything, but Epenesa was heated about an earlier play. Didn’t catch anything in person but it was obvious he was pissed at one/more stillers & very animated with one official.  A few plays later he was tossed. Anyone have insight?

[Solomon Grundy]

3 hours ago, Rochesterfan said:

 

The players have a level of responsibility, but the Refs are supposed to be above that and in this case the Ref put his hands on a player and then was angry when said player retaliated.  Then the Ref lost his cool and got in the face of the player.

It's called POWER!! 

[billsfan1959]

 

No soup for you!!

[RJ (not THAT RJ)]

2 hours ago, SoCal Deek said:

For the old timers on here I remember when the Bills lost a critical game to the Dolphins during their infamous decade long winning streak for this very same thing. I cannot recall the exact circumstance but I believe Miami was either given a crucial first down to retain possession and then ran the clock out, or the call overturned a turnover, or something like that. 

 1975, in the Orange Bowl, midway through the 4th Q.... Pat Toomay protesting a terrible no-fumble call on Mercury Morris... Instead of the Bills having the ball in Dolphin territory down 24-21 (having been down 21-0), the Fins get to keep the ball plus 15 yards, Bills lost focus, next play Fins run for 60 or so yards to set up clinching TD. 

 

Yes, I do remember. I will always remember. That's the curse.

[WideNine]

Agree with some of the others here.

 

Seemed to me the flag came out with some attitude right after Epenesa said something to the ref about his wife, sister, mother....

 

I think the elbow only initiated the dialogue. It was what was said that sent Hussey into anger management.

 

 

[RoyBatty is alive]

Ref should be above reproach in temperament.  He appears to have real anger issues, having anther refs quasi restrain him is unacceptable.  He is flush with anger, that should be enough to end his NFL career.

[Big Turk]

Not expected to be suspended per Tom Pelissero

 

 

Edited October 10, 2022 by Big Turk

[StHustle]

I think Hussey was pissed that even when Epenesa saw who he elbowed…he still dgaf. That pissed em off and he tossed em. 
 

Definitely no suspension and I doubt even a fine.