SB54 Officiating, Game-Steering Calls Favoring KC?

OK, so the thread title was cherry-picking. Against SF. Let's be fair and discuss...
SB54 Officiating, Game-Steering Calls Favoring KC or SF

A Niner fan alleged there was an uncalled hold on Nick Bosa on the big KC 48-yard completion on 3rd and 15. I suggested, "to receive full and proper ridicule, (SF fan) should post a thread like "SB54 Officiating, Game-Steering Calls Favoring KC" . I decided to post such a thread. So, here we are. I think it would be entertaining and instructive to review and discuss potentially game-changing calls and NON-CALLS, favoring EITHER team, KC or SF.

Suggested rules of engagement are:
* Brief description of the call, including the game situation, why the call was incorrect, and the impact of the call on the game.
* Actual evidence, including video clips and/or stills that clearly show the missed call, or why the called infraction should not have been called.

Let's start with this one
* With seconds remaining in the first half, George Kittle caught a long pass from Jimmy G that brought the 49ers into chip-shot FG range. However, Kittle was flagged for Offensive Pass interference, and the play was wiped out. This cost the 49ers a near-certain 3 points. In my opinion, this was a clear and obvious call by the interpretation of the rule, and the ref who called it was in perfect position to see it, immediately threw the flag upon seeing it. Conclusion: Proper call, no steering. Additional conclusion: by those standards, Kyle Rudolph TD catch in Vikings-Saints playoff game should have been OPI also. Oh well.
Video:
https://ftw.usatoday.com/2020/02/2020-s ... ce-rudolph
[youtube]yhfjlubKRU0[/youtube]

The hold on Bosa absolutely could have happened. Let's see actual evidence. There was also an uncalled delay-of-game IIRC on SF, but no biggie. Maybe a lined-up-offsides on KC that was ignored even. Who needs Dee Ford!

Got some other game-steering calls by those evil refs? Let's see them!

https://twitter.com/i/status/1224158737776238593

Watch Bosa top of line, once he gets around the tackle he is held, penalty period. This kind of holding happened all game long, zero calls, not even 1.

Washington49er":1k1sha6w said:

https://twitter.com/i/status/1224158737776238593

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So where's the hold??!! Show us!!
If in fact the perceived uncalled hold on this play is your beef. This clip shows nothing particularly compelling. Break it down for us. I, for one, promise to do my best to be open-minded and objective and even civil. (mileage with other posters may vary, but we can always hope) Inquiring minds want to know. After all, us Hawk fans suffered through the phantom hold on Sean Locklear that cost us, in part SBXL vs. the Stealers. We know the pain of bogus holding calls/non-calls in the big game. (We also know the pain of questionable/bogus OPI calls, courtesy of DJack's TD catch that was waved off in SBXL.)

EDIT: OK, I see you added a bit more detail later. Still more would help...

olyfan63":vfdhto9k said:

Washington49er":vfdhto9k said:

https://twitter.com/i/status/1224158737776238593

Click to expand...

So where's the hold??!! Show us!!
If in fact the perceived uncalled hold on this play is your beef. This clip shows nothing particularly compelling. Break it down for us. I, for one, promise to do my best to be open-minded and objective and even civil. (mileage with other posters may vary, but we can always hope) Inquiring minds want to know. After all, us Hawk fans suffered through the phantom hold on Sean Locklear that cost us, in part SBXL vs. the Stealers.

Click to expand...

If you can't see the hold you're straight up blind. If your just trying to compare the Hawks loss to this one then this thread and discussion is just a waste of time. Should have been a penalty making it 3rd and 24 not 1st down, period! Huge momentum change.

I'm sure you can watch a replay of the game. Try watching without your neon green and blue glasses. The Chiefs were holding both on O and D all night and not one call either way.

It was pretty clear all week who the NFL wanted to win, from the whole KC not being a SB in 50 years down to the only showing KC fans after a KC score, or the only showing 1st half highlights of KC after the half even though the score was tied. KC couldn't buy a 3rd down conversion until the 49ers went up by 10.

Washington49er":37zosd2u said:

If you can't see the hold you're straight up blind. If your just trying to compare the Hawks loss to this one then this thread and discussion is just a waste of time. Should have been a penalty making it 3rd and 24 not 1st down, period! Huge momentum change.

I'm sure you can watch a replay of the game. Try watching without your neon green and blue glasses. The Chiefs were holding both on O and D all night and not one call either way.
-snip-

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Can you make your point without name-calling, please, or is your point so weak and/or the situation so emotional that's all you can come up with? Maybe take off your red and gold glasses before alleging Seahawks bias on mine. What's the interpretation? Got some clearer shots you've run across? I've seen a couple different "expert" opinions on this, and don't have a clear opinion one way or another.

NFL OLine holding has definitions and interpretations, like all rules do. I don't really know NFL holding rules/interpretation beyond a surface level. Most fans don't. HS and College may have slightly different rules and interpretations. How is this *clearly* an "NFL hold"?

SB Officiating has an impact. In LIV and in XL. This thread is about SB54. XL has been rehashed endlessly. Old news. LIV is still fresh and raw.

If you can't make a solid point on this "hold", are there other plays with uncalled holds on the SF DL you can point out?

This was in the previous thread, but I'll play along.

https://www.49ers.com/video/49ers-chief ... homes-sack

#91 (Armstead?) is WAY offsides, 49ers get a sack that leads to a second and very long and (if I remember correctly) Mahomes throwing an interception on the next play.

I'm not saying the officiating was perfect, but it was not one sided by any stretch.

Torc":2i1mf0ts said:

This was in the previous thread, but I'll play along.

https://www.49ers.com/video/49ers-chief ... homes-sack

#91 (Armstead?) is WAY offsides, 49ers get a sack that leads to a second and very long and (if I remember correctly) Mahomes throwing an interception on the next play.

I'm not saying the officiating was perfect, but it was not one sided by any stretch.

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Oooh, shades of Dee Ford! That blue line sure does show Armstead's hand lined up in an offsides position. Sack should have been negated and KC awarded 5 yards. A sack is a drive-killer, difference-making play.

Running score: SF +1 on officiating favorable steering calls, KC 0.

I have no idea if the refs simply missed this or consider it such a ticky-tack violation they decided not to call it. I'm going with "simply missed it" for now.

We can bitch about non calls on holds on both sides of the line every play almost, we seen the 49ers tackle Clowney many times in our games.

It can be frustrating yes, it is almost every game, the clock run out to zero was pretty bad also. The Pass interference on Kittle while a dagger in the heart was pretty obvious due to his extended arm to get separation. That was just a bad situational play, he needs to learn how to use his forearm better and watch a bunch of Gronk film.

Over all they let the guys play for the most part I though, would rather have a few no calls then a bunch of ticky tacky maybe or not penalty calls.

Washington49er":td9n3jw7 said:

olyfan63":td9n3jw7 said:

Washington49er":td9n3jw7 said:

https://twitter.com/i/status/1224158737776238593

Click to expand...

So where's the hold??!! Show us!!
If in fact the perceived uncalled hold on this play is your beef. This clip shows nothing particularly compelling. Break it down for us. I, for one, promise to do my best to be open-minded and objective and even civil. (mileage with other posters may vary, but we can always hope) Inquiring minds want to know. After all, us Hawk fans suffered through the phantom hold on Sean Locklear that cost us, in part SBXL vs. the Stealers.

Click to expand...

If you can't see the hold you're straight up blind. If your just trying to compare the Hawks loss to this one then this thread and discussion is just a waste of time. Should have been a penalty making it 3rd and 24 not 1st down, period! Huge momentum change.

I'm sure you can watch a replay of the game. Try watching without your neon green and blue glasses. The Chiefs were holding both on O and D all night and not one call either way.

It was pretty clear all week who the NFL wanted to win, from the whole KC not being a SB in 50 years down to the only showing KC fans after a KC score, or the only showing 1st half highlights of KC after the half even though the score was tied. KC couldn't buy a 3rd down conversion until the 49ers went up by 10.

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On that pass..I saw the hold and I couldn't believe it wasn't called.
Yes I realize there is holding going on all game but on a big play like that
it needs to be called.
No doubt there was a little steering going on...It wasn't like our Steeler SB
but it was there.

Someone remind me, how many holds were the whiners called for? It's almost as if they let them play.

UK_Seahawk":2hqr5rqy said:

Someone remind me, how many holds were the whiners called for? It's almost as if they let them play.

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They were not calling offensive holding on either team.

I find it highly hypocritical but not surprising that the same Niner folks that said that Holister wasn’t interfered with on a game changing no call here in Seattle a few weeks ago are NOW complaining about officiating.

Sports Hernia":2rgsa8vq said:

UK_Seahawk":2rgsa8vq said:

Someone remind me, how many holds were the whiners called for? It's almost as if they let them play.

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They were not calling offensive holding on either team.

I find it highly hypocritical but not surprising that the same Niner folks that said that Holister wasn’t interfered with on a game changing no call here in Seattle a few weeks ago are NOW complaining about officiating.

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I also find it hypocritical that while they'll post vehemently about the lack of holding calls for their team, there's nothing mentioned about there were no holding calls on either team. None...

and that means that either 9ers fans think their team doesn't hold. Or that the refs just let the teams go at each other without calling anything (which was something that refs across the league started doing about midway through the season).

Which is it?

Based on how they have called it this year, that OPI call was textbook. I don't get the complaining about that one. The only people who should be complaining about that call are Saints fans who would compare it to the Rudolph TD and throw their arms up in the air.

The non call on the helmet to helmet on Jimmy G shoulda been flagged. Could of been a gsne changing scenario. I know on the webzone they were calling holding on the line pretty much literally on every snap the next one took.

Watching live I certainly expected there to be a holding penalty on that play.

I thought the OPI on Kittle at the end of the first half was totally legit. Sorry fellow 9ers fans.

I was very surprised the very clear hold on Bosa wasn't called on the Hill bomb (when it happened my thought was "whatever, it's coming back anyway"), just as I was very surprised that an equally egregious hold against Armstead wasn't called when the Chiefs were backed up at their goal line and converted a first down on a broken play that only happened because of the hold.

Because of the blue line I saw both Armstead lined up offsides and the Chiefs player too; I was surprised neither of those were called.

Overall, however, I don't like playing the game of pretending that NFL officiating is easy (it's the hardest sport to officiate in the world, and it's not close), or that there has ever in the history of the game been a game that both sides agree was perfectly called. :lol:

As is ALWAYS the case for me, to people complaining about officiating in this game, I say what the hell ever and get over it. One score games (which this effectively was) are coin flips to begin with, and you can't get mad or blame the officials for losing a coin flip. Sorry, I just don't have any interest in that. :lol: :2thumbs:

The Super Bowl was two very good teams playing a very close game and the favorite edged out the win. That is enough for me.

My biggest problem with refs this whole season is the lack of consistency.

You either let them play or you make the same calls on both sides.

Anyone that thinks the league doesn't steer games is in denial.

Bottom line, if you don't put the score out of reach of the opposition and the refs you could get screwed.

Washington49er":3e9w4cne said:

My biggest problem with refs this whole season is the lack of consistency.

You either let them play or you make the same calls on both sides.

Anyone that thinks the league doesn't steer games is in denial.

Bottom line, if you don't put the score out of reach of the opposition and the refs you could get screwed.

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They were consistent in this game. They let football decide the winner of the superbowl, not tic tacky flags. The 49ers lost a football game fair and square, and the fact that you are whining about refs and insinuating some nutjob conspiracy theory that refs and announcers are paid off for either team to win is why people can't stand niner fans. Whiney babies, or whiner babies I guess.

You lost a fair game on a neutral field. Man up.

Washington49er":1tjkft4q said:

My biggest problem with refs this whole season is the lack of consistency.

You either let them play or you make the same calls on both sides.

Anyone that thinks the league doesn't steer games is in denial.

Bottom line, if you don't put the score out of reach of the opposition and the refs you could get screwed.

Click to expand...

There is not "consistency" for one big reason and one small reason.

SMALL REASON:

(1) Football is an insanely hard game to officiate. Pretending as if you'll ever live in a world in which every call is perfectly consistent even within games is the cross you've chosen to bear, but it's a really stupid one.

BIG REASON:

(2) The people making the claim that what they want is consistency are universally full of sh!t. They're fans. They don't want consistency, they want favortism.

You want proof?

Here it is:

You're a person who claims to want consistency, so tell us, when is the last time that you were up in arms and complaining about a lack of consistency that favored the 49ers and caused them to win a game they should have lost? You'e never done it before, because you actually don't care about consistency: you're a 49ers fan and you just want the 49ers to win. That's the long and short of it.

Find me a Seahawks fan here who has ever complained and been upset about how BS it is that the Seahawks won because of inconsistent officiating. You can't find one. That fan literally doesn't exist here.


The problem is that officiating in the NFL is very hard, and the even bigger problem is that fans act like fans and are generally full of sh!t.

El Fin. :lol: :lol:

Popeyejones":5u4lbyg5 said:

I thought the OPI on Kittle at the end of the first half was totally legit. Sorry fellow 9ers fans.

I was very surprised the very clear hold on Bosa wasn't called on the Hill bomb (when it happened my thought was "whatever, it's coming back anyway"), just as I was very surprised that an equally egregious hold against Armstead wasn't called when the Chiefs were backed up at their goal line and converted a first down on a broken play that only happened because of the hold.

Because of the blue line I saw both Armstead lined up offsides and the Chiefs player too; I was surprised neither of those were called.

Overall, however, I don't like playing the game of pretending that NFL officiating is easy (it's the hardest sport to officiate in the world, and it's not close), or that there has ever in the history of the game been a game that both sides agree was perfectly called. :lol:

As is ALWAYS the case for me, to people complaining about officiating in this game, I say what the hell ever and get over it. One score games (which this effectively was) are coin flips to begin with, and you can't get mad or blame the officials for losing a coin flip. Sorry, I just don't have any interest in that. :lol: :2thumbs:

The Super Bowl was two very good teams playing a very close game and the favorite edged out the win. That is enough for me.

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I think this is a very fair assessment. I also bristle at the "game steering" notions, as if the league is that petty.

If i'm a 9er fan, i'm upset with the OPI. That's probably it. as you noted, holding calls and other such quick action events are very difficult to call. And it appears that the NFL went into the game with the notion they were going to be very loose with those types of calls. Im certain Chiefs fans have 4-5 gifs of obvious 9er holds that went uncalled.

The OPI was the only call that didnt seem to fit that narrative. I thought it was too small to call, even if it was "letter of the law"

All that said, it was a very good game that probably came down to the execution of 3-4 big plays by either team. You look at misses in coverage, an overthrow, etc. that cost one team the initiative at a time when they could have killed it.

Wash 49er fan has made a concerted effort to bring up the loss to the Patriots and felt it necessary to reference the throw on the goal line. But the Seahawks had the initiative at 24-14, the ball in their hands, in the 4th quarter. There was a miss on 2nd down, and a dropped pass on 3rd down, that would've carried the Hawks into Patriots territory. Those are the types of calls that start the ball rolling the other way.