The officiating was pathetic!
http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=300221Pats have every right to be upset
Though the Patriots got out of Indy with a 24-20 win, the NFL's lone remaining unbeaten team has every right to be livid about the quality (or lack thereof) of the officiating. The worst calls Sunday involved cases of pass interference.
It started when Colts tight end Dallas Clark mauled Patriots safety Rodney Harrison in the end zone on a ball Harrison might have been able to intercept. No call.
It continued when Patriots cornerback Asante Samuel was flagged for interfering with Colts receiver Anthony Gonzalez on a ball that was simply not catchable.
It happened again when New England cornerback Ellis Hobbs was flagged for interference after Indy wideout Reggie Wayne literally tackled him.
The worst call was made in the fourth quarter, with the Patriots driving and trailing by 10. From the Indianapolis 3, Brady threw to Randy Moss in the end zone. When the dust settled, Moss was flagged for offensive pass interference, even though he did nothing that would classify as offensive pass interference. While New England overcame the 10-yard penalty to score, the victory was a lot more difficult than it should have been because of the questionable decisions of the officials.
So what gives? Was it sheer incompetence? Or have the Patriots become the equivalent of the old Raiders in the eyes of the NFL and those who officiate their games?
Milli Vanilli moment in Indy?
In the past, teams that have visited the RCA Dome have questioned whether the Colts pipe in artificial crowd noise in an effort to disrupt the road team's offense. Though the Colts have denied any such chicanery (thanks, Tiki), the suspicions remain.
And the suspicions will only grow stronger after Sunday's game against New England. During the first play of the fourth quarter, the noise from the crowd contained a strange effect. It almost sounded like my kid was working the "Whammy Bar" while playing Guitar Hero.
We don't know whether that noise could be heard in the stadium, but it was obvious on CBS' broadcast. And it invites speculation as to whether the Colts are indeed piping in phony music -- and whether there was a malfunction of some sort on Sunday that offered proof of it.
