Block in the back? You make the call...

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

And now. ., . I just got locked in the library!!!!!

Classic!!!!!

 

[IAWarnerFan]

Okay, found this:

Removing Helmets on the Field During Play -- no player may remove his helmet while on the playing field. Doing so will result in a 15-yard Unsportsmanlike Conduct penalty. Exceptions are during timeouts and between quarters. (The NFL has done this in an effort to "reduce taunting and overexuberant celebrations" and also "in the name of safety.")

This was added to the rulebook in 1997 and I didn't see anything updated since then. On that play, I don't know if an official timeout was called since they were all huddled discussing the play(with Warner in there adding his 2 cents) and in that description it states that it was instituted to cut down on taunting which I can see how what Warner did could be ambiguous. If the clock was stopped, I don't see a problem. If it wasn't stopped I could see how it could be called. If it was the latter, it's just another example of the officials missing a call and being inconsistent with how they called the game.

I believe that the official timeout would be the change of possession. The penalty on Pitt was more for excessive celebration.

 

[IAWarnerFan]

It was clearly a block to the back, but honestly I'm more ticked off at the lack of the tuck rule call. His arm was clearly going forward and that's why the ball went forward like that. THe refs wanted to make sure Pitt won. We realize now that the better team didn't win.

 

[ARZCardinals]

Hightower was NAILED in his back ...every time I see that replay that's all I'll ever see. I was at the game and was yelling when I saw Hightower get nailed....got to figure the offensive player did not care if he got the penalty as there was no time left. Sucks but nothing can be done now.

 

[LukesDad88]

Hightower was NAILED in his back ...every time I see that replay that's all I'll ever see. I was at the game and was yelling when I saw Hightower get nailed....got to figure the offensive player did not care if he got the penalty as there was no time left. Sucks but nothing can be done now.

And it's probably all you ever will see. Similar to the guy that keeps looking at one set of photos with Holmes' foot off the ground, and ignores all of the others with his toes clearly touching.

Woodley's right hand is pushing into the front of the guys shoulder. The hit is from the side, not from the back.

 

[D-Dogg]

And it's probably all you ever will see. Similar to the guy that keeps looking at one set of photos with Holmes' foot off the ground, and ignores all of the others with his toes clearly touching.

Woodley's right hand is pushing into the front of the guys shoulder. The hit is from the side, not from the back.

Not even close, man. If it were from the side, he would have been decleated and sent sideways. Instead, he was sent forward in a direct line as to how he was running, from the shove in the back. It was a blown call, unfortunately.

But also, as I said, it didn't matter. We had the game in hand, and our defense couldn't stop you. That's the bottom line, and the only thing Cards fans should be complaining about. We had you up against the wall, and we couldn't stop you from driving 78 yards and Holmes from making one of the greatest catches in NFL history. Our defense failed us in the end, after being so important in getting us to that point.

 

[anks106]

Not even close, man. If it were from the side, he would have been decleated and sent sideways. Instead, he was sent forward in a direct line as to how he was running, from the shove in the back. It was a blown call, unfortunately.

But also, as I said, it didn't matter. We had the game in hand, and our defense couldn't stop you. That's the bottom line, and the only thing Cards fans should be complaining about. We had you up against the wall, and we couldn't stop you from driving 78 yards and Holmes from making one of the greatest catches in NFL history. Our defense failed us in the end, after being so important in getting us to that point.

Woodley has 2 hands.. look at the left one, look at the trajectory of Hightower.. block in the back

err, quoted wrong post, meant to quote lukesdad

 

[LukesDad88]

Hightower was taking the angle where he would have intersected Harrison at the 32 yard line. His momentum was more west to east than it was north. Woodley blocks him, and he goues down at the 30-29 yardline. Yes, he still went east, but that was from his own momentum.

Also, if you go back two seconds before that, you can see the two of them battling it out down the field. It wasn't like as if Hightower didn't know he was there and was blindsided.

 

[az240zz]

Also, if you go back two seconds before that, you can see the two of them battling it out down the field. It wasn't like as if Hightower didn't know he was there and was blindsided.[/QUOTE]

Whether he knew he was there doesn't make any difference. If it was a block in the back it should have been called.

But as Donald said, we lost because our defense couldn't stop them on the last drive.

 

[LukesDad88]

IMO, it could have gone either way. I've seen a block like that get called, and I've seen it fly as well. That's going to be one of those calls/noncalls that it all depends on which side of the fence you're on.

It is hard to say how much impact any one play has on a game, however. That play hurt you, sure. However, did Pittsburgh play differently in the 3rd and going into the fourth because of that lead? Would they have called the same plays in the third if they were only up by 3 instead of ten? Who knows.

 

[nashman]

Your crazy that was an obvious black in the back and who's to say we don't play differently in the second half if we were only down 3? That was a HUGE play in the game and as a few other plays got called in favor of the Steelers. The officiating was terrible and on stage in front of the whole country for the sham it is.

 

[BCEagle]

Close. Could have been called either way.

 

[LukesDad88]

Your crazy that was an obvious black in the back and who's to say we don't play differently in the second half if we were only down 3? That was a HUGE play in the game and as a few other plays got called in favor of the Steelers. The officiating was terrible and on stage in front of the whole country for the sham it is.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=easterbrook/090203&sportCat=nfl

Tim Hightower was well-blocked by Woodley at about midfield, then driven to the ground at the 30 in what might have been an uncalled block in the back. (Hightower was turning when he got hit, so TMQ would not have thrown the flag.)

As I said, could have gone either way. There were questionable calls and non calls that went both ways. My only serious issue was the lack of a review at the end of the game.

 

[moklerman]

Visuals:

Seems like a block in the back to me. Clearly.

 

[nashman]

When you push a guy in the back to the ground that clearly would have made the tackle or forced him out its a HUGE, MONUMENTAL no call that was possibly and most likely a 14 point swing before the half. And not reviewing the last play which clearly was a tuck rule or inc. pass and letting the game end was beyond ridiculous sorry I just believe the officiating sucked badly!

 

[Cardsmasochist]

LMAO. when Big Ben starts scrambling in the pocket, the refs are too busy touching themselves with excitement at how he can break the first tackle, that they ignore the holding/clipping/horsecollar tackles/blocks in the back that ensue while he is running around. it is ridiculous. they were throwing the terrible tow...i mean flags all day on us. so don't complain about Harrison. he should have been kicked out of the game for acting like a damn thug, i mean wanna be thug. yea, you're a hard ass for going after one of the smallest players on the team. Go after Wilson, and we'd be pretending James harrison was a good person while we say how unfortunate it is that he is paralyzed. He's just like Hines Ward.

On a different play when Ben was scrambling to avoid being sacked one of his offensive linemen totally clipped one of the Cardinals.

I would dig to find the clip but I don't have the patience anymore. My blood pressure is too high since the game ended.

 

[Buckybird]

I don't know to me it's unbelievable he scored on that play. if you watch the play on replay you can see Anquan slow up visibly trailing the play because he thinks Harrison is going out of bounds,when he sees he's not he speeds up again.

And then for all the hustle that Fitz showed on that play, if he just tackles
Harrison instead of going for the ball first, he might not score. He actually
catches him about the 5 yard line, that's 15 feet. But Fitz was trying to
knock the ball out instead of make the tackle.

Just a great play by Harrison and one of those mistakes you just can't make if you're Kurt Warner. For all the great things he did in that game that one play completely changed the game. You have to hand it to us for staying around after that momentum killer.

I guarantee you if Breaston doesn't knock Harrison towards the endzone, Fitz would have stopped him short. Or if Fitz didn't run into Rolle out of bounds on the sideline he would have made the tackle earlier. That play will ALWAYS be in the minds of the players, coaches and the fans.

 

[BigRedArk]

Hightower was taking the angle where he would have intersected Harrison at the 32 yard line./QUOTE]

Operative word here is would have! Yes he would have had he not been clipped! Plain and simple. End of discussion.

It is hard to say how much impact any one play has on a game, however. That play hurt you, sure.

No in this case it's not hard to say how much impact any one play has on a game. In this game it had a HUGE impact! Take that TD that y'all got as a gift from the refs away and we win the game!!!

Having said all of that we still should have been able to shut Pittsburgh down on that final game winning drive. Clancy and his soft prevent ultimately did us in.

It is too bad that we had to play not only the Steelers but the refs too however. That didn't help our cause. We had our chances and we should have won. The refs didn't beat us but unfortunately they played a too signifigant part in our defeat.

 

[LukesDad88]

Hightower was taking the angle where he would have intersected Harrison at the 32 yard line./QUOTE]

Operative word here is would have! Yes he would have had he not been clipped! Plain and simple. End of discussion.

It is hard to say how much impact any one play has on a game, however. That play hurt you, sure.

No in this case it's not hard to say how much impact any one play has on a game. In this game it had a HUGE impact! Take that TD that y'all got as a gift from the refs away and we win the game!!!

Having said all of that we still should have been able to shut Pittsburgh down on that final game winning drive. Clancy and his soft prevent ultimately did us in.

It is too bad that we had to play not only the Steelers but the refs too however. That didn't help our cause. We had our chances and we should have won. The refs didn't beat us but unfortunately they played a too signifigant part in our defeat.

If the guy's momentum is basicall sideline to sideline, and the block knocks him two to three yards upfield, that's a change in momentum. It's not as cut and dried as you might like to think. Whatever. Blocks in the back happen all over the field during punts, kickoffs, and especially INT returns. The majority do not get called. More often than not ut's because there is no official in position to make the call. Did you see an official within ten yards? No, as the this happened 70 yards away from where the play began. It happens, and will continue to happen, and happens on both sides.

And it is impossible to judge how much of an affect this play has on a game. The score definitely affects the playcalling, as well as the execution. Does Pittsburgh become a little more lax in running their plays and their defense when up by ten, rather than six? Does Arizona play with more urgency down by two scores rather than one?

 

[D-Dogg]

If the guy's momentum is basicall sideline to sideline, and the block knocks him two to three yards upfield,

His momentum wasn't sideline to sideline.

Brother, it's ok to admit that your guy got away with one. It happens. It probably was hard as hell to see everything happening on that wild play for a ref. No biggie. We should have stopped you at the end of the game when we had the lead and the title in our grasp. We didn't. End of story.

But please don't try to justify the block in the back. It's pretty damn clear. Just as clear as Holmes outstanding catch to win the game.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

And it's probably all you ever will see. Similar to the guy that keeps looking at one set of photos with Holmes' foot off the ground, and ignores all of the others with his toes clearly touching.

Woodley's right hand is pushing into the front of the guys shoulder. The hit is from the side, not from the back.

the determination is made in terms of where the helmet is, not where one of the hands is. i can't watch the play again, but i'm pretty certain that woodley's helmet is not in front of highsmith. hence, block in the back. the old adage regarding helmet placement is taught and learned from pop warner through high school, through college, into the pros.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Visuals:

Seems like a block in the back to me. Clearly.

lol, that "hand on the shoulder" seems much clearer to be a forearm in the back.

 

[Bobcat]

Correct me if wrong, but I've never heard of a "block in the back" on an interception return. Kickoff - punt, yes... interception???

Block in the back is a block in the Back no matter when it happens down field.
We got hosed again...!!! Maybe now we will be treated more like a elite team than in the past.

BOBCAT

 

[Bobcat]

Correct me if wrong, but I've never heard of a "block in the back" on an interception return. Kickoff - punt, yes... interception???

Block in the back is a block in the Back no matter when it happens down field.
We got hosed again...!!! Maybe now we will be treated more like a elite team than in the past.

BOBCAT

 

[mjb21aztd]

I can't even watch it brings back painful memories that is only a few days old .... so close sob