Week 13 observations, 2023

[FredFan7]

Enjoy the games and post your observations here.


Cardinals at Steelers — Land Clark
Falcons at Jets — Ron Torbert
Lions at Saints — Clay Martin
Colts at Titans — Craig Wrolstad
Chargers at Patriots — Bill Vinovich
Broncos at Texans — Shawn Smith
Dolphins at Commanders — Tra Blake
Panthers at Buccaneers — Brad Rogers
Browns at Rams — John Hussey
49ers at Eagles — Alex Kemp
Chiefs at Packers NBC Peacock — Brad Allen

[FredFan7]

The Steelers and Cardinals were in the locker room at halftime when a storm rolled in. The NFL plays in all weather except lightning. The fans were instructed to get to safety, and the teams and Land Clark's officiating crew will simply have to wait out the weather.

[FredFan7]

The Lions-Saints game had a long delay as a member of the chain gang got rolled up and appeared to suffer a serious leg injury. The visual footage looked gruesome.


As one who has a titanium rod in one tibia and plates and screws in the other tibia at the knee, I felt this.


The chain gang is in just as much danger as the on-field officials. The game moves so fast. Blocked players can go flying out of bounds and take someone out at the legs.


The chain gang is supplied by the home team and most are amateur officials. Best wishes to the injured chain gang member and, if an official, hopefully he'll be back on the field this coming August.

[FredFan7]

Side judge Keith Washington flags the Jets for holding that wipes out a first down run.


Washington was keying on the correct person. He was looking where he should have. But, I'm sorry to say this is a phantom flag.


There is simply no foul here.

[FredFan7]

Side judge Keith Washington calls the Jets for an illegal block in the back.


An indicator for an illegal block in the back is when the blockee falls forward and face-plants. This happened here. But there was very light contact and the blockee lost his balance and fell on his face.


It is important for the official to see the contact that puts the blockee on his face. It appears Washington was doing that, but the contact wasn't a hit. The contact was light.


I'm sorry to say, but this is an incorrect call.

[FredFan7]

With the Texans having a 4th & 2 from the Broncos 7, they committed a false start. The Broncos pursue quarterback C.J. Stroud despite the whistles and there was some post-play pushing. Linebacker Alex Singleton takes it too far and is hit with an unnecessary roughness flag.


There is a major penalty against a simple-5 -- that is, a 5-yard penalty without another aspect like loss of down, 10-second runoff, change of possession. This is a 15 vs. 5 enforcement, which causes the 15 to override the 5, and had there been a snap, the play would have also been nullified.


In this case, the 4th & 2 becomes a 1st & goal, an automatic first down after the half-distance penalty.

[FredFan7]

Late in the first quarter, Titans quarterback Will Levis was ruled to have fumbled the ball (empty hand fumble) and it was recovered before the ball hit the ground by Colts defensive back Justin Blackmon. Blackmon then rolled over on the ground, and while attempting to get back up, fumbled the ball himself, and it was recovered by Levis. The act of rolling completes possession, as this is considered an act common to the game.


This is a double change of possession, also known as an A-B-A, meaning team A (offense) started with the ball, it was turned over to team B (defense), and it was turned over a second time back to team A. When this happens, a new series of downs is awarded to the offense at the dead ball spot.


The play was reviewed and upheld, but taking a look at the replay, it appeared Levis had control of the ball when his hand was coming forward, seemingly making this an interception. However, since the ball was recovered by Blackmon before it hit the ground, the same net result would take place.

[FredFan7]

An awfully tight forward progress ruling in Houston negated a Texans defense scoop and score midway through the 3rd quarter in Houston when Broncos running back Samaje Perine was contacted in teh open field and had the ball stripped a split second later.


The Texans Desmond King ripped the ball out and scored but in review it was determined that Perine's forward progress had been stopped prior to the ball coming out. In real time it's bang bang but it doesn't appear to have met the criteria of a player being restrained or held and he still had his legs and would've been able to break free possibly.

[FredFan7]

Ron Torbert's crew has run into a series of incorrect calls, and we add a lowering-the-helmet call on a 2nd quarter punt to the mix.


Linebacker Chazz Surratt is flagged for lowering his head to initiate contact with his helmet. Here, it seems fairly clear that any helmet contact is incidental -- helmet-to-helmet contact, by itself, against a runner is not a foul. It's arguable that Surratt also moved his head in order to minimize helmet contact.


Replay can review this foul only for an ejection. They cannot pick up the flag, however.

[FredFan7]

The deep officials on Ron Torbert's crew are getting dinged up in the Falcons-Jets game at a pace that is impossible to ignore.


Field judge Ryan Dickson throws a flag for illegal contact, when there is just nothing that rises to that level. The receiver and defender can touch each other to "see" the other while looking at the ball and to just establish their distance. There is no push or other advantage gained here that would be an illegal chuck beyond the 5 yards.


The flag erases a Jets interception.

streamable.com/t4ufcu

[FredFan7]

Late in the game, Titans quarterback Will Levis threw what was originally ruled as an incomplete pass that came out awkwardly, and to ensure possession remained with Tennessee, tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo picked up the ball as the crew blew the play dead.


The play went to review and the ruling was changed, as Levis fumbled the ball before his hand came forward, and the ball was pushed forward with his empty hand, disguised as a pass. Since this play took place after the two-minute warning, the under-2:00 fumble rule is in effect, meaning that only the fumbling player can recover an advance a fumble. Since Levis fumbled, he is the only offensive player who can recover and advance. However, a teammate recovered, meaning that the ball is brought back to the spot of the fumble, resulting in a 7 yard loss.


Additionally, this play, ruled as a play with a stopped clock, was reversed to a play with a running clock, requiring a 10-second runoff. However, Tennessee had timeouts available and took one to avoid the runoff.

[zebrablog]

Stritesky is in Tampa for George

[FredFan7]

Cleveland Browns receiver Harrison Bryant and Los Angeles Rams linebacker Troy Reeder fight for a pass thrown by Joe Flacco.


Bryant secures the pass with two hands so his catch process takes precedence. Reeder comes over to try and strip the ball or take it away. They both wrestle for the ball while going to the ground.


In the end, it was joint possession. By rule, joint possession is awarded to the offense so give the catch to Bryant.

[FredFan7]

The 49ers Brandon Aiyuk makes a diving catch apparently for a touchdown.


The ball appeared to move a bit so the call went to replay.


Replay shows Aiyuk kept his hands under the ball and kept control of the ball so the touchdown stood. Side judge James Coleman and back judge Scott Helverson were on the call.

[zebrablog]