The Fake Challenge Flag from Whis

[DeAnna]

I watched the replay of the game last night. At the time I thought it was odd the would try to challenge the previous play when they attempted the fake field goal and thought maybe he did it on purpose.

Seems like that was actually the case - post game Jeremy Bridges was interviewed and he said they recognized that it might be a fake so Whis threw a challenge flag to negate the play. He went up to Whis and said "good call Coach."

They didn't count on the replay malfunction, so they actually came out even better since it never counted, and THEN scored on the next play. When will you ever see something like that happen again, LoL?

Even Jim Harbaugh had a smile on his face like "yeah, I've been outsmarted."

Gotta give Whis his props - AND the players gave him the game ball (supposedly for tying the franchise high in wins).

http://www.nfl.com/videos/arizona-c...-field-goal-Or-fake-challenge?continuous=true

 

[RedRob]

I was yelling at him to challenge the play due to the spot. It appeared they gave the receiver forward progress even though he was clearly bobbling the ball and the catch wasn't an official catch until he was on the ground. Looked to me that they got a 4 or 5 yard better spot (which would have made it a 54 yard field goal versus 50).

Regardless it worked out for us!

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I was yelling at him to challenge the play due to the spot. It appeared they gave the receiver forward progress even though he was clearly bobbling the ball and the catch wasn't an official catch until he was on the ground. Looked to me that they got a 4 or 5 yard better spot (which would have made it a 54 yard field goal versus 50).

Regardless it worked out for us!

If they do that, they would have been charged a timeout. You can challenge the spot and be correct that the spot was incorrect and still be charged a timeout. If the play does not result in a first down change, you will be charged a timeout.

Unless the replay equipment is broken of course.

 

[Totally_Red]

Believe me Harbaugh has benefited this season from officiating. Look no further than the flag that was picked up on Ted Ginn's late game punt return. On a season-long basis, he has absolutely no beef with the officiating his team has received IMO. It's about time the Cardinals got a 'homer' officiating call. I feel no guilt and offer no apology from getting a break from an officiating call.

 

[DeAnna]

Unless the replay equipment is broken of course.

That was very odd, wasn't it? hmmm ....

 

[RedViper]

It was definitely a play that should have been challenged. The Niners would have lost two yards if the play had been reviewed. I don't think the intent was to scuttle the fake field goal although it sure was fortunate that it did. The other challenge Whiz used later in the game, I've got to say, was horrendous. Thought for sure it would come back to bite us, but the defense didn't let that happen.

 

[football karma]

I was yelling at him to challenge the play due to the spot. It appeared they gave the receiver forward progress even though he was clearly bobbling the ball and the catch wasn't an official catch until he was on the ground. Looked to me that they got a 4 or 5 yard better spot (which would have made it a 54 yard field goal versus 50).

Regardless it worked out for us!

yeah-- that is why I thought he challenged. On the third down play, Kyle Williams bobbled the ball going backwards and the ball should have been marked back four yards from the "forward progress" spot he got.

 

[Hollywood]

I didn't know what happened with that untill after the game. Couldn't even hear the ref explain because of the sound system in the stadium.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

It was definitely a play that should have been challenged. The Niners would have lost two yards if the play had been reviewed. I don't think the intent was to scuttle the fake field goal although it sure was fortunate that it did. The other challenge Whiz used later in the game, I've got to say, was horrendous. Thought for sure it would come back to bite us, but the defense didn't let that happen.

Worse than the 2nd challenge was the not going for two when we scored at the with 12 minutes to go in the game. Being up two at this point in the game is absolutely no different than being up 1.

All of the good things I said about Whis could have been in vein if they kicked a winning field goal.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

yeah-- that is why I thought he challenged. On the third down play, Kyle Williams bobbled the ball going backwards and the ball should have been marked back four yards from the "forward progress" spot he got.

No. The referee said the play was challenging that a catch was made, not the spot of the ball.

 

[Russ Smith]

Worse than the 2nd challenge was the not going for two when we scored at the with 12 minutes to go in the game. Being up two at this point in the game is absolutely no different than being up 1.

All of the good things I said about Whis could have been in vein if they kicked a winning field goal.

Yeah for awhiel they got every break, then it turned. The fake FG play, the roughing call which was terrible I thought, the in the grasp was iffy. they had a couple of big drops that helped us. So it evened out.

The not going for 2 thing I just can't fathom that on the game thread 19-14 I said if we go down and score we need to go for 2. How can a fan at home see that and an NFL coach doesn't?

I know it's a time of game call but it's basic math, if we get it a FG only ties, if we miss, a FG would beat us, but it would beat us up 2 anyways.

That decision could have cost us the game.

 

[D-Dogg]

No. The referee said the play was challenging that a catch was made, not the spot of the ball.

From stadium replay, I don't think the catch was made. He bobbled the ball going down, and the ball touched the grass as he secured it. I was confident it would be overturned, then "equipment malfunction" then missed FG then Early scores TD. It was a WILD couple of minutes.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

From stadium replay, I don't think the catch was made. He bobbled the ball going down, and the ball touched the grass as he secured it. I was confident it would be overturned, then "equipment malfunction" then missed FG then Early scores TD. It was a WILD couple of minutes.

From home, it was definitely a bobble and catch. They could have challenged the spot.... they were losing a timeout anyway..

 

[Redheart]

Yeah for awhiel they got every break, then it turned. The fake FG play, the roughing call which was terrible I thought, the in the grasp was iffy. they had a couple of big drops that helped us. So it evened out.

The not going for 2 thing I just can't fathom that on the game thread 19-14 I said if we go down and score we need to go for 2. How can a fan at home see that and an NFL coach doesn't?

I know it's a time of game call but it's basic math, if we get it a FG only ties, if we miss, a FG would beat us, but it would beat us up 2 anyways.

That decision could have cost us the game.

Your math is correct; but SF is the best defense we have faced against the run; they have a way of making you one-dimensional and have to pass in to a very short field. Still, the only down side would be a loss of momentum with the failur to convert; and emotional cost?

 

[RedViper]

Worse than the 2nd challenge was the not going for two when we scored at the with 12 minutes to go in the game. Being up two at this point in the game is absolutely no different than being up 1.

All of the good things I said about Whis could have been in vein if they kicked a winning field goal.

Exactly right. In my long suffering diseased mind of a Cardinals fan, this played out exacly the way you've stated, we lost by one point, and all the members of this board were turning on each other this morning. In Whiz' defense, it seemed like it would be ruinously difficult to convert against the Niners D, but they still should have tried. How great it is to have a Cardinals D that can make a stop when the game is on the line? Can't get my head around it.

 

[crisper57]

I still can't wrap my head around such a crazy call benefiting the Cardinals. The football gods must have been too busy screwing over Minnesota to deal with us.

 

[Russ Smith]

Your math is correct; but SF is the best defense we have faced against the run; they have a way of making you one-dimensional and have to pass in to a very short field. Still, the only down side would be a loss of momentum with the failur to convert; and emotional cost?

Exactly there's almost no way not making it hurts you unless SF gets a safety and wins by 1.

If you don't get it and they score a TD it's 26-20, in fact they would probably go for 2 there to try and make it 27-20. But either way we would have to get a TD to win or tie.

I was really surprised the announcers didn't pick up on it either.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Exactly right. In my long suffering diseased mind of a Cardinals fan, this played out exacly the way you've stated, we lost by one point, and all the members of this board were turning on each other this morning. In Whiz' defense, it seemed like it would be ruinously difficult to convert against the Niners D, but they still should have tried. How great it is to have a Cardinals D that can make a stop when the game is on the line? Can't get my head around it.

It almost feels like I have become a fan of a different team. I love it.

 

[crisper57]

I admit I didn't even think of going for it until after the game and the final score set in. Now I can't explain why anyone wouldn't go for it.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I admit I didn't even think of going for it until after the game and the final score set in. Now I can't explain why anyone wouldn't go for it.

I certainly hope that isn't what happened to Whiz. I'd love to see the question asked in the presser today.

 

[desertdawg]

I called the fake FG live in the chat room, Harbaugh had already gone for it on 4th and short earlier in the game, and it was a long FG. But I really dig how Whiz didn't just call time out, tried to kill 2 birds, but I knew what Harbaugh's punk ass whas up too.

 

[JCSunsfan]

It was strategy, it was legal, and it changed the game. The fact that they did not get charged with a timeout was a bonus.

 

[Totally_Red]

I still can't wrap my head around such a crazy call benefiting the Cardinals. The football gods must have been too busy screwing over Minnesota to deal with us.

Have to wonder what the officials were looking at to miss that blatant face mask penalty. Maybe they wanted to get out of Detroit alive.

 

[Vermont Maverick]

Exactly there's almost no way not making it hurts you unless SF gets a safety and wins by 1.

If you don't get it and they score a TD it's 26-20, in fact they would probably go for 2 there to try and make it 27-20. But either way we would have to get a TD to win or tie.

I was really surprised the announcers didn't pick up on it either.

Given the time in the game, I agree with most of you that we should have gone for 2. However, here is why you would not go for it:

If we miss, that puts us up 20-19. If San Fran scores a touchdown, then 2 field goals by us would only tie the game, instead of win it.

With defensive teams and just over 10 minutes left, there probably wouldn't be 3 scores like that, but it's conceivable. Just playing devils advocate here.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Given the time in the game, I agree with most of you that we should have gone for 2. However, here is why you would not go for it:

If we miss, that puts us up 20-19. If San Fran score a touchdown then 2 field goals by us would only tie the game, instead of win it.

With defensive teams and just over 10 minutes left, there probably wouldn't be 3 scores like that, but it's conceivable. Just playing devils advocate here.

You can't play a two field goal scenario in the 4th quarter. That is why you don't go for it in the 1st 3 quarters typically. It changes later in the game.