Here is in more detailed, precise, and clearer terms a run down of what happened with yesterday's end of 1st half play clock controversy between the Eagles and the Redskins and why the sole blame of what happened lies directly on the officials.
1. Shady McCoy is tackled at the proverbial 1 inch line.
2. Referee Alberto Riveron goes upstairs for a booth review to see if Shady McCoy got in.
3. Despite replays being at best inconclusive and at worst short of the goalline, the review takes upwards of 5 minutes.
4. Riveron comes back and rules, "play stands as called."
5. Riveron then goes back and spots the ball at the 1-yard line, something that should not be happening if the play really did stay as called, otherwise, the play would not stand as called.
6. Having heard "play stands," Andy Reid calls a QB sneak to run on 4th and goal from the proverbial 1-inch line.
7. Seeing that the ball had been moved to the 1-yard line, Andy Reid calls timeout, and calls the official over to talk about it because while a good play call from the initial spot, a QB sneak is not so good from a whole yard out and he needs to get things straightened out.
8. All the while Andy Reid is trying to figure out the referee's ruling and why the ball was moved back, Alberto Riveron and his crew inexplicably start running the play clock after the 30-second timeout, even though normal officiating practices dictate that you do not run the play clock while the coach is conversing with the official and trying to figure out a call.
9. Because Andy Reid is talking to the official, he can't relay a different play to Kevin Kolb in time.
10. The play clock inexplicably winds down and because the Eagles just called timeout, they cannot call another one before a play is run and are forced to take a delay of game penalty.
11. That moves the ball back to the 6-yard line and the Eagles have no choice but to kick a field goal before the half.
12. Had the ball been spotted as Alberto Riveron dictated it should have been, the Eagles would have run the planned QB sneak and in all likelihood Kevin Kolb would have found his way in for a touchdown.
As he always does when something goes wrong, Andy Reid claimed it was his fault, but as you can clearly see by the outline of the events above, absolutely none of it was his fault. It is on the referees to not only be honest when they are ruling that a play stands as called, but to not run the play clock without at least alerting someone while a head coach is trying to sort out the controversy, especially after he called a timeout.
All in all it is excuseless piss poor officiating that played a big role in the Eagles losing yesterday's game. Now I am not saying the officials are the only reason the Eagles lost, other factors such as the Eagles shooting themselves in the foot by missing tackles contributed, but to say the officials played no part in the outcome last night is to say that pigs have wings and can fly. It is said that if an official does a good job, no one will notice or talk about him. Well, here is a whole blog post on Alberto Riveron in addition to the mention he got in last night's recap where I outlined some of the other blunders of him and his crew.
Or Kevin Kolb would've fumbled, and the Redskins would've returned it for a touchdown Or Kevin Kolb would've got injured and the Eagles would've needed to put in Kafka. Or, knowing the ball is on the 1 Yard Line and not the one inch line, Reid would'nt have gone for it anyway. Or the Eagles would've lined up for it, Jason Peters would be called for a false start, holding, or offensive pass interference, and the Eagles would be moved back. Or, the Eagles would've missed it.
ReplyDeleteStop bitching. To say "in all likliehood the Eagles would've scored" is ridiculous. Do you watch football? How many times this year has there been a 4th and 1/ 4th and inches/ 4th and goal failure for the offense. While I agree the officials screwed up, this article wasnt necessary. The Eagles shouldve made their 2-pt conversion for crying out loud and it wouldve been a different game. This article makes you seem (and I know you arent) like a whiny bitch. STFU and take your panties off.
You misinterpreted what I wrote. "In all likelihood" is not speaking in terms of absolutes. It is not saying the Eagles definitely score 100% of the time, it is saying that most of the time, the Eagles would score, and that is not my opinion, but rather a statistical fact of the matter. Yes, a fluke could happen and the ball could be fumbled or the defense gets a massive push where the QB is not allowed to push the ball 2 inches, but to say that is the minority result is an understatement.
ReplyDeleteThe general conversion percentage for a 4th and 1 at the 1 yard line is just under 70%. Move it 5 yards back and the percentage of a successful conversion is under 40%. Move that closer to the goal line at the proverbial 1 inch line, and your chances of succeeding on a conversion are much greater than 70%, given the exponential rise of the line. Again, "in all likelihood" is not speaking in absolutes, but rather statistical probabilities, and the statistical probability that the Eagles score on a 4th and goal from the proverbial 1-inch line are extremely high. Stating that a high statistical probability of a touchdown was taken away from the Eagles because of dumb officiating is not being a "whiny bitch," but rather, the truth of the matter.
Source: The 4th Down Study, Part 3 from Advanced NFL Stats (advancednflstats.com) and Going for it on Fourth Down, also from Advanced NFL Stats.