Refs?
 

I'm not making excuses BUT you have to admit that those two penalties on the last Chargers dive were bull****!!!!

Re: Refs?
 

Doesn't matter Chargers were not gonna win anyway.

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I don't know...sounds like excuses to me...but look on the bright side. Rivers may not have won, but Drew did!!

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The penalties the refs called against you were all given back by Martez' illegal hands to the face penalty which gave a fresh set of downs

then martez just turned beast mode and won the game

Re: Refs?
 

Bolts, we've lost so many games that seemed to turn on an official's call
ourselves. But I look at the other plays where we should have done
this, or allowed that to happen. There were some beautiful plays, in what
ended up being an ugly win.

The best upside play, for me, was Malcolm Jenkins reaching in and extracting a deflection out of what should have been another long completion, bouncing an
easy interception for Roman Harper. And TDs and big catches by Marques Colston. If we deserved to win, it was that stuff.

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As much as I've voiced my disappointment in Jenkins, his coverage on that throw was incredible, perfectly timed, got his hand in and only contacted the ball

Was a great play

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Iffy, but the hit on Drew and interception that were nullified was a big break for the Saints...

Personally, that's the part that the league has gone wayyyy too soft...

That play happens five years ago, that's the nail in the coffin that is the 2012 Saints season...

But Mike is right, for forty plus years we've been on the end of some major Bullshinski from the Zebras...

I laughed when the NFL dismissed a rep-ref because of his homer postings on the web...

A good friend of Mom's, retired concierge, told us this one- Saints had lost to the Vikes a couple of times within two years because of BS calls...

the same Zebras involved in those calls both times were having drinks with the Vikings assistants the night before the game at her competitor's hotel - she knew this because her fellow concierge at that hotel pointed it out to her...

She always had great gossip on visiting teams as well as the Saints, we were discussing this a couple of years ago and I told her no way that schiott happens today - somebody would have snap a shot off their phone and had that TMZed all over the web before kickoff...

Point is, Saints Fans know all to well about "League Treatment and Bias"

Falcons, Giants, Jets, 49ers, Packers and Steelers (though this year may be an exception for the latter, but it's early) - anyways, that's your League Darlings...

Re: Refs?
 

It sure did seem like the calls were going our way. Reffing often seems like kind of a gold mine/shaft kind of thing. It usually evens out in the long run, except then you add in Norv Turner's post season coaching and you'll be on the shaft side again anyway.

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I still haven't fully recovered from being shell-shocked at the replacement refs to be able to critique the regular refs yet ... I'm just grateful it's not taking 10-minutes and a United Nations conference to make a call on the field anymore.

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I know how you feel B4L. It sucks. This was the 1st game all season that I can honestly say we came out ahead on ref's calls. In a perfect world where the calls balanced out fairley we'd probably be sitting at 4-1 or 3-2 instead of 1-4.

I'd love to see the league get less detailed about a lot of these rules. I think its too complicated and each rule seems to have a razor thin line between what is OK and what isn't.

Anyway, I'm pulling for you guys to win the AFCW. Good luck.

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I'm wondering this year if we might benefit a little from the regular refs because of the way goodell and the league screwed us and them. Maybe they feel for us this year and will give us the close calls.

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... yeah.. only those 2 calls were bull****... and that's why the Chargers lost... yeah... that's the ticket..

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San Diego had 7 penalties for 56 yards
Saints had 10 penalties for 99 yards

If they were out to help the Saints, they did a great job covering it up.

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I still contend that it was planned. I believe that since they were refs themselves they had to favor the regular refs during this dispute. If slowing the game down and getting people complaining was going to help their cause, why not act stupid, or take one for the team. Someday the replacements may be professional themselves and they may benefit by their seeminly lack of competence.

I could be wrong, but there was just too many cases of it. If it was real, then the regulars are indeed a part of the product and have clout. They see guys making millions and believe they deserve to at least be in the same ball park with these guys, since without them, the product is diminished so much.

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Those calls were suspect, but the inability of the left O-line to stop Wilson in the end decided the game.

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Well roughing the passer is one of those things where fans of different teams will NEVER see eye to eye. If it was "your guy" you'd be howling if it wasn't called. I think that was a great call by the officials and Drew deserved to have that turnover nullified.

Now the offensive pass interference on Gates, welllll it's a lot like holding -- it's a judgement call by the official. That's why they actually have names like Back Judge, Side Judge and Field Judge! The conventional wisdom is that holding happens on every NFL play, but normally holding doesn't get called or "shouldn't" get called, unless it affects the outcome of the play. For example a 30 yard run that should have been a 5 yard run without the crucial hold that sprung the guy -- that holding definitely affected the play and will usually result in the play getting called back. So typically, holding on a suspiciously long gain, will get called quite often.

Also on kick returns for example. It's always a really great kick or punt return that gets brought back by offensive holding or block in the back, isn't it? They almost NEVER call a block in the back or hold when the return guy just runs smack into a wall of bodies and falls down at the 20 or whatever. Even though jersey-grabbing and blocking in the back happens on almost every kick and punt return, as those guys run down the field.

And there WAS a bit of contact there on the Gates pass, which did in turn influence the outcome of the play, so I don't know how you can justifiably say it was suspicious or bogus. If the ball had been incomplete, or uncatchable, if it had been wildly overthrown, and the offensive pass interference penalty was still called on San Diego, THAT would have been suspicious.

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I was actually at the game so I didn't get to see the replays but no matter what, the refs reset it all back to zero with the 5 yard automatic first down penalty.

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I'm not saying that the Chargers would have won if not for those calls but those were two awesome completions and Rivers is known for coming back in situations like that.

Both of those calls were horrible. Even the commentators said that.No, I'm not making excuses. Best bet would be to not let the team get into a situation like that.

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Bolts, I feel your pain. We've been screwed by the refs and now so have you. Everyone is going to get the short end of the stick some time.

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I literally read an article today about how Rivers was known for coming back in those situations (pre 2010), but in 2010, 2011, and 2012 he has actually been far worse...not saying he couldn't have come back, just that the statistics say it would have been unlikely.

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Rivers like Brees has a propensity to throw picks when trying to come back under duress.

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I try really hard to side with the refs. They miss some. It's a fast game and Roger keeps on adding BS stuff they are asked to make split-second determinations on. Their job is subjective. There will always be controversy.

The hit on Drew that negated the INT. That's Roger's NFL. They're calling them for and against every team. That's just the way it is now. It sucks. Sometimes it's BS. Doesn't matter. That's just how Roger wants the games managed.

I do side with the Bolts on the Offensive PI call on Gates. That was a complete crap call, but it's not why the Chargers lost.

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According to the rules, it was the right call. The defensive player launched himself to the head of the QB, leading with the crown of the helmet.

The call on Gates, I thought it was a combination of the angle the judge was looking at the play, Gates extending his arm, and Harper going to the ground.

I don't think it helps when your QB whines incessantly to the refs during the entire game..

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That imaginary Pass interference call against Gates was just as bad as the In-Field fly call against the Braves................ And that call was the worst call ever in Baseball. Just say-in.

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Well, consider this our lone opportunity to agree, kinda. The call on Gates was not a good one, but it was not the epic fail that the infield fly call was. THAT, was EPIC FAIL.

And the one-game wildcard playoff game is stupid. Makes me wonder if Roger Goodell is involved with baseball too.

Turrible. Just plain turrible.

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Wow Saintfan we do agree! If you got two Wild card teams they should play 3 games not just one! Stupid as h-e-l-l

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Alas, the truth right there.

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Drew Brees was very outspoken on Twitter about the scab refs after the Seattle/Packers game fiasco. He called out Goodell on it and really raised hell. Now the regular refs are back, and whattaya know, we've had two games in a row with calls "going our way" including one call directly related to Drew himself that negated a sure interception. Heck, I'll take it.