The Painful End

The image that hopefully won't haunt the Patriots season.

   Here is the video for those that missed it: 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fq7iVDyREzE

   For Patriots fans, I hope this post justifies your aggravation at the way last night’s football game ended. Let me begin by saying that I understand what the referees saw: Gronk four yards behind Brady’s throw. Their view shows an uncatchable pass being intercepted, which was the final call. Unfortunately the refs were unable, or possibly unwilling, to recognize that Luke Kuechly’s “tight coverage” of Gronk began when he entered the end zone and ended up leading him four yards deep. Kuechly was not playing the ball, he was playing Gronkowski. I, like most Patriots fans, was glad to see the initial flag fly, and was heartbroken when the officials announced that there was no foul on the play. I did some research on the official rules for both pass interference and illegal use of hands/arms, both of which were violated on the play:

Pass Interference:

“Actions that constitute defensive pass interference include but are not limited to: a) Contact by a defender who is not playing the ball and such contact restricts the receiver’s opportunity to make the catch.

b) Playing through the back of a receiver in an attempt to make a play on the ball.

c) Grabbing a receiver’s arm(s) in such a manner that restricts his opportunity to catch a pass. 



d) Extending an arm across the body of a receiver thus restricting his ability to catch a pass, regardless of whether the defender is playing the ball. 



e) Cutting off the path of a receiver by making contact with him without playing the ball.

Actions that do not constitute pass interference include but are not limited to: 



a) Incidental contact by a defender’s hands, arms, or body when both players are competing for the ball, or neither player is looking for the ball. If there is any question whether contact is incidental, the ruling shall be no interference.”

Use of Hands, Arms, and Body:

“A defensive player is allowed to maintain continuous and unbroken contact within the five-yard zone until a point when the receiver is even with the defender. The defensive player cannot use his hands or arms to push from behind, hang onto, or encircle an eligible receiver in a manner that restricts movement as the play develops. Beyond this five-yard limitation, a defender may use his hands or arms ONLY to defend or protect himself against impending contact caused by a receiver. In such reaction, the defender may not contact a receiver who attempts to take a path to evade him.”

   As you can see, Kuechly clearly made contact with Gronk without even attempting to play the ball, restricting Rob’s ability to not only make a catch, but even get close to the ball.

   The main argument I hear against it being a penalty is that Brady’s throw was not catchable in the first place, so there was no way that the refs could call a penalty. I trust in Brady’s football skill and intelligence, even though it has been tough this season, and I have to think that Brady saw Kuechly’s coverage and thought that he could get the penalty, especially if he underthrew it. For Brady, throwing it where Gronk was supposed to be would make the refs question the defensive job that left Brady that far off from his receiver. Unfortunately, Brady didn’t get the call and the Patriots lost.

   I’m not sure how this loss compares to the Packers-Seahawks call from a year ago, but this hurts just as much for Patriots fans and may haunt us for the rest of the season.