Roughing the passer?

[Brutalis]

In the Miami/NE game, it was over. But they called roughing the pass on Jason Taylor as all he did was push him a little bit and NE's backup did an amazing acting job and they got the call.

Because they are New England right?

Or because they wanted to give them a shot to win?

They did actually, it came down to a 2pt conversion in which NE failed.

I think I just saw the worst call in football this year. Not only did NE get every chance to come back, they even got a bs call. And still lost.

Who thinks they're going to win the SB? I think they are a joke this year. And this should be Miami's 2nd win over them this season alone. Let's not even go back to the first Miami/NE game. es.

My hatred for the Pats continues.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Um, if you hit the QB in the head with your arm/hand/anything it's an automatic fifteen.

[Brutalis]

On the reply it looked like Taylor first hit his arm, then his forearm hit his facemask. Then dude acted out the rest.

That's an auto 15?

I wasn't aware that any touching to the face of a QB is a penalty. Those rules are pretty screwed up. Makes me think of Candian league rules.

I stand corrected then.

I still hate New England.

[Brutalis]

ps- I thought it was only if you pushed the QB down after the pass, or generally just roughed him up after he got rid of the ball. Touching his helmet being a penalty is ignorant.

[N.Y. Johnny]

New England invented rule changing during games to cheat and win, remember the Tuck Rule bull fumble that should have put the Raiders in the Super Bowl?

New England its nothing new...the bad thing is that they're in a division and are in and probably will be back in the Super Bowl again.

[Brutalis]

This year they are in a bad division. I only wish Miami would have started out better. Beating NE the first time like we should have would have changed things.

Although the future of that division looks great, for Miami fans.

[FromWayDowntown]

The rule prohibits blows to the head -- it doesn't say anything about soft blows vs. heavy blows. The rule is there to make sure that D-linemen won't take advantage by trying to apply the hardest possible head shot without drawing a penalty. Any blow to the head is enough to draw a penalty. You can question the intent of the rule or its application, but the rule does penalize a blow to the head and Taylor delivered a blow to the head, and therefore committed a penalty. The official had discretion to not call it, but by the book, it was a penalty.

As for the notion that New England is benefitted by officials' calls, that's always been true of great teams in almost every sport. The Spurs, the Pistons, and before them, the Lakers get calls (or benefit from no-calls) that other teams don't get. The Yankees have gotten the benefit of umpiring in a number of crucial situations. The Patriots have earned the respect of officials like any championship team.

I actually think that the Patriots would have preferred that the game be over on that play. The Pats would seem to have a more favorable draw in the playoffs as the 4 seed -- an untested Jacksonville team in the Wild Card weekend, while sending Pittsburgh into Cincinnati. If the Steelers beat the Bengals, Pittsburgh goes to Indy for the Divisional Round and New England goes to Denver. I'd think that would give the Patriots a nice chance to make a run to the AFC Championship Game -- better than having to go to Indy in the Divisional Round.

[ducks]

I thought it was pretty close

seems to me they call ANYTHING close now

[N.Y. Johnny]

The rule prohibits blows to the head -- it doesn't say anything about soft blows vs. heavy blows. The rule is there to make sure that D-linemen won't take advantage by trying to apply the hardest possible head shot without drawing a penalty. Any blow to the head is enough to draw a penalty. You can question the intent of the rule or its application, but the rule does penalize a blow to the head and Taylor delivered a blow to the head, and therefore committed a penalty. The official had discretion to not call it, but by the book, it was a penalty.

As for the notion that New England is benefitted by officials' calls, that's always been true of great teams in almost every sport. The Spurs, the Pistons, and before them, the Lakers get calls (or benefit from no-calls) that other teams don't get. The Yankees have gotten the benefit of umpiring in a number of crucial situations. The Patriots have earned the respect of officials like any championship team.

I actually think that the Patriots would have preferred that the game be over on that play. The Pats would seem to have a more favorable draw in the playoffs as the 4 seed -- an untested Jacksonville team in the Wild Card weekend, while sending Pittsburgh into Cincinnati. If the Steelers beat the Bengals, Pittsburgh goes to Indy for the Divisional Round and New England goes to Denver. I'd think that would give the Patriots a nice chance to make a run to the AFC Championship Game -- better than having to go to Indy in the Divisional Round.

I would pray and hope Denver s them up in Invesco at Mile High. That would already make my 2006 right there. Plus I think i'd like New Englands chances better at Indianapolis more anyways than Denver.

I know Indy beat them this year, but they're still is something there that might set off panic in the Colts heads if they host New England and its a tie game goin into the 4th. The "here we go again" mentality with that in Tom Brady on the other side that never seems to lose or make mistakes.

I know if I was Indy and its 14-14 going into the 4th with NWE I'd be nervous as ...nothing short of blowing them the out of the RCA Dome would do.