Ravens: Dirty Play and Cheating
A serving of the kind of garbage you may see this weekend, Denver experienced both poor officiating and blatant cheating on the part of Buttmore.
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Highlights include:
1) Defensive pass interference via tripping of Demaryius Thomas by the Baltimore defensive back Cary Williams by intentionally extending his left leg to trip Thomas on a play that would have been a touchdown. Penalty not called.
2) Several uncalled defensive pass interferences, one by Chykie Brown against Eric Decker which resulted in a pick 6, and another of Thug Suggs against Jacob Hester. In both cases, defenders had hands wrapped around the receivers' bodies before the ball arrived.
3) Baltimore kicker and ST coach on the field to kick a practice FG between OT periods. A 15 yard penalty should have been called and it wasn't.
Article 2 There will be intervals of at least two minutes between the first and second periods (first half) and between the third and fourth periods (second half). During these intermissions all playing rules continue in force, and no representative of either team shall enter the field unless he is an incoming substitute, or a team attendant or trainer, entering to see to the welfare of a player.
Penalty: For illegally entering the field: Loss of 15 yards from the succeeding spot (13-1-6-Pen.).
4) Incomplete pass ruled completion to Bolden for 1st down. Ball was bobbled and touched the ground.
5) Incomplete pass ruled fumble in violation of Tuck Rule:
Rule 8, Article 1, Section 1(b): “If, after an intentional forward movement of his hand, the passer loses possession of the ball as he is attempting to tuck it back toward his body, it is a forward pass. If the player loses possession after he has tucked the ball into his body, it is a fumble.”
Rule 3, Section 22, Article 2, Note 2, which emphasizes that “any intentional forward movement of his hand starts a forward pass, even if the player loses possession of the ball as he is attempting to tuck it back toward his body.”
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Btw, I posted this on a thread on the Ravens.com forums. Unsurprisingly the post was deleted and the thread locked, for some odd reason...
Any Ravens fans here who would like to comment?