Packers-49ers divisional observations

[FredFan7]

R 55 Alex Kemp
U 89 Mike Morton
DJ 113 Danny Short
LJ 85 Daniel Gallagher
FJ 117 John Jenkins
SJ 95 James Coleman
BJ 93 Scott Helverson
RO Mike Chase
RA Jamie Alferi Tuss
ALT R Carl Cheffers
ALT U Brandon Cruse
ALT DJ David Oliver
ALT SJ Clay Reynard
ALT BJ Jonah Monroe

[FredFan7]

Looks like the officials will have to deal with rain tonigh.


At least is isn't snow and wind chill. But, rain isn't a picnic.


Watch umpire Mike Morton working to keep the ball dry between downs. All officials will have to push the rain out of their minds the best they can and work this important playoff game.

[here4therefs]

I’m not a fan of Fox Sports broadcasting NFL games. They rarely show the referee announcing a penalty & talk a bit too much.

[mike]

Jan 20, 2024 20:43:39 GMT -5 here4therefs said:

I’m not a fan of Fox Sports broadcasting NFL games. They rarely show the referee announcing a penalty & talk a bit too much.

Burkhardt sounds like a baseball guy doing football because he is and Olsen needs to learn how to shut up. Fox's best crew, IMHO, is Kevin Kugler and Mark Sanchez. Unfortunately they usually get the backup late game.

[FredFan7]

Jan 20, 2024 21:03:58 GMT -5 mike said:

Jan 20, 2024 20:43:39 GMT -5 here4therefs said:

I’m not a fan of Fox Sports broadcasting NFL games. They rarely show the referee announcing a penalty & talk a bit too much.

Burkhardt sounds like a baseball guy doing football because he is and Olsen needs to learn how to shut up. Fox's best crew, IMHO, is Kevin Kugler and Mark Sanchez. Unfortunately they usually get the backup late game.

They talked over Kemp's announcement of why there was no intentional grounding.

[FredFan7]

Side judge James Coleman tickets Ambry Thomas for pass interference.


There was far too much clutching and grabbing to let go. Coleman threw the flag to the spot of the first contact and not further down the field. That's why it looked like he chucked the flag so far.

[FredFan7]

The second DPI of the first quarter came as Packers WR Christian Watson went out for a short pass. 49ers safety Tashaun Gipson Sr. arrived a split second early and pinned Watson's back arm before the ball arrived. BJ Scott Helverson correctly threw a flag for DPI.

[FredFan7]

On what in today's game can be considered a "big hit" on a QB, Packers QB Jordan Love was pushed hard out of bounds by 49ers DB Deommodore Lenoir. The Packers were not happy with this hit, but replays clearly show the push occurred while Love was in-bounds. Had Lenoir continued the hit out-of-bounds or committed a second physical act on Love out-of-bounds, a penalty may have been earned. However, in this case, the crew correctly held their flags until the congregating players earned offsetting unnecessary roughness fouls after the play.


Good job by the crew and alternate Carl Cheffers to cool down the tempers before anything worse happened.

[melkaman8200]

First of all, and hopefully I'm not jinxing anything, good job by the crew to keep the game from getting out of hand. Quite a bit of pushing/shoving early. As for the announcers, say what you will, but with that Green Bay breakaway and fumble recovery, the phrase holy "cow" was not the reaction in my living room.

[FredFan7]

Helverson with a closer-than-it-looks TD call

[FredFan7]

Jan 20, 2024 22:29:50 GMT -5 melkaman8200 said:

First of all, and hopefully I'm not jinxing anything, good job by the crew to keep the game from getting out of hand. Quite a bit of pushing/shoving early. As for the announcers, say what you will, but with that Green Bay breakaway and fumble recovery, the phrase holy "cow" was not the reaction in my living room.

A big kickoff for the Packers turns sour with a fumble, then Eric Wilson saves the Packers bacon with the fumble recovery.


The officials first had to go into chase mode on this long kickoff return. Then back judge Scott Helverson and umpire Mike Morton were in great position to rule on possession without having to dig to the bottom of the pile.


After that, it was simply peeling players off the pile without anyone getting angry and starting pushing and shoving.


Wilson with a great play and the officials were in perfect position to rule on it.

[FredFan7]

Down judge Daniel Gallagher initially rules Jordan Love down short of a first down.


Instant replay shows that Love was not down, but laying on the back of a defender, and rolled far enough forward to get the first down by the length of the football.

[FredFan7]

During the dead-ball time after a kickoff return, 49ers tackle Trent Williams is apparently stirring the pot by chatting up his Packers opponents. Jonathan Owens of the Packers comes over to the immediate annoyance of Williams, and Williams shoves Owens.


There seems to be a little bit of a flop by Owens, but side judge James Coleman was watching the action closely. Regardless of the overacting, there was action that is unnecessary roughness. In other words, don't give the officials a reason to flag, assuming they can get the flag out of the pocket.

[FredFan7]

Grades

R 55 Alex Kemp: 3.9 - Great job, under control, and lead the crew well
U 89 Mike Morton: 3.93 - Hustle, keept the game moving in wet conditions
DJ 113 Danny Short: 3.8 - Some tough spots, but did a great job all around
LJ 85 Daniel Gallagher: 3.8 - See Short
FJ 117 John Jenkins: 3.9 - Had a great game and made good calls
SJ 95 James Coleman: 3.9 - Great PI call and held down his sideline well. Flagged the instigator for foolishness even though there was a flop.
BJ 93 Scott Helverson: 3.95 - Great hustle, made great PI calls and had some critical catch/endline calls.

Crew: 3.88 - The best playoff game to date gives us the best officiating performance to date. The crew made many impactful calls, but those calls were there. The calls that weren't there were fixed via replay. If not this year, I think there are some future Super Bowl assignments in this crew.