Doc Posted September 19, 2009 Share Posted September 19, 2009 Take a look at this video. According to the NFL gamebook, the ball was at the Bills' 35-yard line. Now while the ball is rarely ever exactly on the yard line (and it looks like it's snapped at the 36, although centers usually bring the ball closer to them when they snap it), it's within half a yard of the yard line mentioned on either side, i.e. it's between the 35.5 and 34.5 yard line. At :19 Welker catches the ball and the ball is in his arm and clearly down at the 26 yard line. So he's short of the first down, and it said 3rd and 1. Now look at what the ref does at :30. And voila, it's an automatic first down! Also notice how far behind the LOS LT Matt Light lines-up on the play. Pathetic, but typical. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxA95K5gP9s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOBILLS78 Posted September 19, 2009 Share Posted September 19, 2009 The Bills play again tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhg Posted September 19, 2009 Share Posted September 19, 2009 Take a look at this video. According to the NFL gamebook, the ball was at the Bills' 35-yard line. Now while the ball is rarely ever exactly on the yard line (and it looks like it's snapped at the 36, although centers usually bring the ball closer to them when they snap it), it's within half a yard of the yard line mentioned on either side, i.e. it's between the 35.5 and 34.5 yard line. At :19 Welker catches the ball and the ball is in his arm and clearly down at the 26 yard line. So he's short of the first down, and it said 3rd and 1. Now look at what the ref does at :30. And voila, it's an automatic first down! Also notice how far behind the LOS LT Matt Light lines-up on the play. Pathetic, but typical. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxA95K5gP9s I noticed the same thing during the game. I was screaming the TV when I saw that. Typical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted September 19, 2009 Author Share Posted September 19, 2009 The Bills play again tomorrow. I know. It still doesn't excuse what happened, or erase the proof that's right there for all to see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Offside Number 76 Posted September 19, 2009 Share Posted September 19, 2009 I know. It still doesn't excuse what happened, or erase the proof that's right there for all to see. But it's only proof that the refs made a mistake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iinii Posted September 19, 2009 Share Posted September 19, 2009 I noticed the same thing during the game. I was screaming the TV when I saw that. Typical. i noticed the same thing but at that point. I am surprised the evidence is just now coming to light Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThePebble19 Posted September 19, 2009 Share Posted September 19, 2009 **sigh**...................come on, Sunday. Do you really think that even if it was 3rd and 1 that we would have stopped anything on that drive? I know that it is the principle, but let's be realistic. Our D was gassed and was in no position to stop anything on those last two drives. After tomorrow, we won't have to talk about this game anymore. We'll have a whole new set of problems to complain about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Offside Number 76 Posted September 19, 2009 Share Posted September 19, 2009 Now that I've looked at the video again, it sure looks to me like the Patriots gained ten yards, or something very, very close to it, and the ESPN yellow line was off by a bit. Don't know or care what the game book says; look where the ball was snapped and where it was when the receiver went down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted September 19, 2009 Author Share Posted September 19, 2009 But it's only proof that the refs made a mistake. Now that I've looked at the video again, it sure looks to me like the Patriots gained ten yards, or something very, very close to it, and the ESPN yellow line was off by a bit. Don't know or care what the game book says; look where the ball was snapped and where it was when the receiver went down. Funny. I don't care about your opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Jack Posted September 19, 2009 Share Posted September 19, 2009 Now that I've looked at the video again, it sure looks to me like the Patriots gained ten yards, or something very, very close to it, and the ESPN yellow line was off by a bit. Don't know or care what the game book says; look where the ball was snapped and where it was when the receiver went down. Saw that also now, being able to see it again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BornandRaised Posted September 19, 2009 Share Posted September 19, 2009 Take a look at this video. According to the NFL gamebook, the ball was at the Bills' 35-yard line. Now while the ball is rarely ever exactly on the yard line (and it looks like it's snapped at the 36, although centers usually bring the ball closer to them when they snap it), it's within half a yard of the yard line mentioned on either side, i.e. it's between the 35.5 and 34.5 yard line. At :19 Welker catches the ball and the ball is in his arm and clearly down at the 26 yard line. So he's short of the first down, and it said 3rd and 1. Now look at what the ref does at :30. And voila, it's an automatic first down! Also notice how far behind the LOS LT Matt Light lines-up on the play. Pathetic, but typical. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxA95K5gP9s I agree with the other forum member in that the yellow line must have been wrong and the Pats did go ten yards. The most important thing to remember here is that if they had not gone 10 yards, Jauron would have been all over it and challenged the spot of the ball. At that critical point in the game these guys check everything and have always been on the ball. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookiemonster Posted September 19, 2009 Share Posted September 19, 2009 Not sure if this is the one where a touchdown was thrown by them on the next play or not, but my son and I both noticed it, and I was hollering, and as one poster stated maybe the yellow line was off, but it looked originally to me that it was short by almost a yard and a half. The yellow line could not have been off by that far. NE astutley quickly hiked the ball. I don't think that it was the only questionable spot that night either. I am not sure if Dick even noticed, but what could he do anyhow, call a quick timeout, probably lose it, and then get lambasted again for wasting the timeout, right? They are going to get us one way or the other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fewell733 Posted September 19, 2009 Share Posted September 19, 2009 I agree with the other forum member in that the yellow line must have been wrong and the Pats did go ten yards. The most important thing to remember here is that if they had not gone 10 yards, Jauron would have been all over it and challenged the spot of the ball. At that critical point in the game these guys check everything and have always been on the ball. wasn't it under 2 minutes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philly McButterpants Posted September 19, 2009 Share Posted September 19, 2009 I know. It still doesn't excuse what happened, or erase the proof that's right there for all to see. That happened 2-3 times on Monday . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CodeMonkey Posted September 19, 2009 Share Posted September 19, 2009 Conspiracy theorists unite But that yellow line is just a computer approximation based on camera angle etc. It's rarely going to be dead nuts on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori Posted September 19, 2009 Share Posted September 19, 2009 The alleged result of this play was a first down at the 25. But by rule, for it to be recorded as the 25, the ball would have had to be completely past the hashmark at the 26. That tells me the previous first-and-ten spot was in front of the 36. Welker's elbow, the leading edge of his body, is resting on the 26. Doesn't add up to 10 yards. FWIW, I don't worry about the yellow lines, although I admit it surely would be nice to have one at my game today ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookiemonster Posted September 19, 2009 Share Posted September 19, 2009 Conspiracy theorists unite But that yellow line is just a computer approximation based on camera angle etc. It's rarely going to be dead nuts on. Not to dispute you, and I agree, that most of the time the yellow line is our only reference point, sometimes you can just see that it was a bad spot. Was it an intentional bad spot? We will leave that to your imaginations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimBob2232 Posted September 19, 2009 Share Posted September 19, 2009 This video proves the exact opposite of what I thought during the game. This was a first down. It was 2nd and 10 (after an incompletion on first down). They needed 10 yards. The ball was snapped just short of the 36 yard line (between the 36 and 37 yard line). Welker goes down just shy of the 26 yard line (between the 26 and the 27). It was AWFULLY close (and probably should have been measured), but it looks like a first down to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trader Posted September 19, 2009 Share Posted September 19, 2009 I noticed the same thing during the game. I was screaming the TV when I saw that. Typical. The spot of the Ball can be challenged by the coaching staff. It the Refs mistake but a bigger mistake by the Bills. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flbillsfan#1 Posted September 19, 2009 Share Posted September 19, 2009 Conspiracy theorists unite But that yellow line is just a computer approximation based on camera angle etc. It's rarely going to be dead nuts on. It may be off by an inch or two, but a yard? I don't think so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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