Are the NFL refs helping New England on purpose?

[SBR Lou]

The Rams think so. Before you laugh, read the amazing stats so far to back this claim up somewhat, and keep in mind this could be the NFL panicking post Brady and realizing what a cash cow in terms of sales and public interest NE is. Might be gunning for that new, unproven, unlikely QB Super Bowl hero thing again?

Rams send tape of Patriots game to league office

The St. Louis Rams are seething over the disparity of penalties called in last week's 23-16 loss to the New England Patriots in Foxborough.

The Rams sent a videotape of the game to the NFL office, the St.Louis Post-Dispatch reported Tuesday. According to the report, the tapes highlight plays the Rams believe should have resulted in penalties against the Patriots.

The Rams were penalized 12 times for 63 yards. The Patriots were called for only one penalty, which St. Louis declined.

"Never ever, ever, ever played a perfect team before," Rams guard Richie Incognito told the Post-Dispatch. "That's all I am going to say on that one." Through seven games, New England has been flagged for just 22 penalties, the lowest total in the league.

Last week, the Patriots became the first team to go an entire game without being assessed any penalty yardage since Seattle had no penalties against Baltimore on December 23 of last season.

[Dark Horse]

Didn't see the game, but wouldn't surprise me if the team with the most disciplined culture would emphasize 'NO penalties' after they lost Brady. Without a QB that can go deep a penalty will kill a drive. The refs have been very uptight in some games (the 65 yards in the 1Q against the Colts in Greenbay comes to mind), but ultimately it's up to each team to decide how disciplined they want to be.

Doesn't mean I like the new NFL though. It's terrible to have players fined for hard hits. I wish Goodell would go away.

[pavyracer]

Didn't see the game, but wouldn't surprise me if the team with the most disciplined culture would emphasize 'NO penalties' after they lost Brady. Without a QB that can go deep a penalty will kill a drive. The refs have been very uptight in some games (the 65 yards in the 1Q against the Colts in Greenbay comes to mind), but ultimately it's up to each team to decide how disciplined they want to be.

Doesn't mean I like the new NFL though. It's terrible to have players fined for hard hits. I wish Goodell would go away.

What part of sending a tape you didn't understand? Do you actually think the Rams will send a tape to the league without any obvious penalties? What do they have to gain?

The refs are being very generous to the Superbowl chumps.

[Dark Horse]

Any idea how many teams could compile a tape of missed calls after a lost game?

If this continues a few weeks then there may be reason to question the motives. At this point, it's just one of many games with uneven calls.

[SBR Lou]

Any idea how many teams could compile a tape of missed calls after a lost game?

If this continues a few weeks then there may be reason to question the motives. At this point, it's just one of many games with uneven calls.

Well, now that this has broken daylight, if there were any doubt it'll be answered this weekend as if there "were'' something a little fishy going on these refs will probably penalize NE this weekend more than five teams combined.

[Capybara]

Sorry, Crazy, but this is just more conspiracy bulls--t... People love jumping on conspiracy stuff... Which is more likely, that the refs just had a game in which most of their missed calls went one way coincidentally, or that there is a master plan and the refs have been "instructed" to favor the Pats??!! Umm, I think it's number one!!!

Why the F would the league be on the Pats' side anyway? There is NO reason. If anything, they would want fresh blood winning games and titles, because A) they love parity, and B) the Pats took a PR hit last year.

[pavyracer]

Any idea how many teams could compile a tape of missed calls after a lost game?

If this continues a few weeks then there may be reason to question the motives. At this point, it's just one of many games with uneven calls.

The Falcons were robbed by the refs in Philly and didn't send a tape. Does this mean the refs did a good job? The Chargers were robbed the same way in Denver.

The Rams must have undisputable evidence to send a tape. A 12-0 penalty ratio against a team on the road is extremely suspicious and must be investigated to the full extent of the rules by the NFL committee.

Enough said.

[McBa1n]

the VP of officiating for the NFL Mike Perreira (Spelling?) said that the majority of the teams in the NFL send in plays every week to get 'clarifications' on rulings. He would neither confirm nor deny that there was official misconduct in the pats/rams game. Of course, he has to defend his officials - but there are some brutal ones.

He would not comment on how he responded to the Rams - however, I have a feeling, after watching the game today, myself, that he has a LOT to answer for. The Rams didn't even make note of several plays where 'questionable' calls could have been made - as they seem to happen every play and make/break a game.

[Legend4Aday]

I hope the refs don't break tradition, and if they do at least let it be after this week.

[SSLP]

sour grapes , the rams have to do something they are about the sorriest team ever

[DeluxeLiner]

sour grapes , the rams have to do something they are about the sorriest team ever

Detroit, Chiefs, Bengals... just this year = way sorrier

At least the Rams were able to rattle off a couple upset games and have had some hope.

[Dark Horse]

The refereeing has been uneven so far. Some of the problems:

- Pass interference penalties are completely at the mercy of the refs.
- A hold used to be a hold, but now it can be almost anything.
- Refs make up face mask penalties, for fifteen yards a piece, all over the place.
- Defenders are fined left, right, and center for what used to be clean hits.
- Flopping is becoming more prevalent in the NFL. Pretty soon it will resemble the NBA.

Giving the refs this much freedom to influence the game can't be good. Sometimes it gets ridiculous. What to think of 65 penalty yards against the Colts in the 1Q against the Packers, including two fifteen yarders for slight pushes after the play was over? That was the end of this season's honeymoon for me. On the flip side, when they don't make calls I have far less of a problem with it. As long as things even out, let them play.

[Bouga]

................ come on now

[Jbougs]

So now were trash talking a team for being disciplined?

If you don't think Belichick doesn't discipline the hell of his team, your sadly mistaken.

Sure some calls were missed, what game are their not missed calls.

But to say that the NFL is on their side bc Tom Brady went down is a joke and a deep deep reach.

[nick2060]

yea im not buying it, lotta discipline and a little luck

[pavyracer]

Haslett noted three instances in which he felt New England should've been hit with a personal foul: a facemask on quarterback Marc Bulger, a late hit on Bulger and an out-of-bounds hit on cornerback Fakhir Brown after an interception.

Here is the undisputed proof.

[nick2060]

How is that proof? or were you being sarcastic? Its kinda hard to tell by reading, but from your previous posts i kinda think your serious lol, somebody who for some reason taped this game should put it on youtube

[LLXC]

NE was helped by bad penalities against other teams last year...

[dwaechte]

Threads like this never cease to amaze me.

The NFL riggin games would be the dumbest thing they could possibly do for the sport. It makes absolutely zero sense. They have no motive.