Fox Sports: #1 Worst Call Of The Year - Bengals/Bucs

[ShulaSteakhouse]

1. Oct. 15, Bengals at Buccaneers

And the winner for worst call of the NFL season is ... Mike Carey's indefensible roughing-the-passer penalty on the Bengals' Justin Smith that cost Cincinnati its game at Tampa Bay. With the Bengals leading 13-7 and time winding down, Smith sacked Bucs QB Bruce Gradkowski and forced a fumble that was recovered by Robert Geathers. Ball game. Now obviously this couldn't be roughing the passer because Gradkowski still had the ball. Or could it? Carey ruled that Smith had not been appropriately gentle with the quarterback, awarded Tampa Bay the standard gift set — 15 yards, automatic first down — and the Bucs scored late to win, 14-13. The call led Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis to lament, "I guess you have to cuddle him to the ground."

Indeed. Welcome to today's cuddly NFL.

We saw the predictable effect of so many terrible calls when Giants defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka, fearing a flag, simply let Vince Young go while the rookie QB still had the ball. The fear-based decision ultimately cost the Giants the game.

A defensive end letting go of a quarterback because he's so terrified of the zebra standing behind the line of scrimmage?

Somewhere Deacon Jones is wondering what the hell happened to his once-great game.

[MacD BengalFan]

One of the better ref's in the league cost the Bengals the game by blowing an easy no-call.

[SkinneymulleT]

One of the better ref's in the league cost the Bengals the game by blowing an easy no-call.

Like what ever, dude he is a clown in stripes!

[TJJackson]

We're safely in the playoffs if this particular call was not blown

[Stripes]

Bad karma - See David Carr, Week 4, 2005.

[CBin2k7]

We're safely in the playoffs if this particular call was not blown

Not exactly, all things considered... That win would put the Bengals at 9-6 currently, along with the Jets/Broncos. The Bengals would be 6-5 in the AFC with the loss at Denver, and Denver holds the conference tie breaker over the Bengals/Jets, the Jets are also 6-5 in the AFC. So the Bengals would need to beat the Stealers in order to make the playoffs. In this scenario a Bengal L and a Jets/Broncos W gives the playoffs to the Jets and the Bengals miss out at 9-7.

[MacD BengalFan]

We're safely in the playoffs if this particular call was not blown

Not exactly, all things considered... That win would put the Bengals at 9-6 currently, along with the Jets/Broncos. The Bengals would be 6-5 in the AFC with the loss at Denver, and Denver holds the conference tie breaker over the Bengals/Jets, the Jets are also 6-5 in the AFC. So the Bengals would need to beat the Stealers in order to make the playoffs. In this scenario a Bengal L and a Jets/Broncos W gives the playoffs to the Jets and the Bengals miss out at 9-7.

And thus, one bad ref's call does not make a season. It is a accumulation of things that a team must overcome in order to be victorious. This season, injuries, arrests, tough schedule, poor play at times, etc... No one is at fault other then the members of the team for not responding appropriately to the challenges presented to them.

[jjakq27]

It won't help us now but I really hope they address that issue and the whole leading with the head/launching into a receiver call this offseason. It is a shame that you grow accustomed to seeing a flag on every play and are surprised when there isn't a call. The game is suffering because of it.

[HairOnFire]

I just watched Inside the NFL on HBO last night, and it includes the almost mandatory tear jerker about the things a player has to overcome. In this example it was Richard Seymour dealing with the murder/suicide committed by his father. Included in the piece was video of Seymour sacking QB's over and over again, each time lifting his weight and driving it into the QB as they both hit the ground. It was violent, totally discretionary, and far more likely to cause injury than Justin Smith's hit on Gradkowski. More to the point, it was also an example of textbook technique that is taught to every DE who advances past the level of high school ball.

Football is a violent game that frequently boils down to which team can hit the opposing QB more often and more violently than the other guy, and that fact is often celebrated by stats like sacks, hits, and hurries. So the idea that an official will suddenly insert himself into the outcome of a game by making a call that is based soley upon his speculation about a defenders intention goes beyond being a horrible call. It's the type of action that threatens the very credibility of the NFL.

Whether the loss to the Buc's cost the Bengals a playoff spot isn't the issue. But whether it cost the Bengals a football game is. And that's why FOXSports got it right when it called that play the worst call of the entire season.

[jjakq27]

I am convinced that the call against Smith was a direct result of Geathers hit on Trent Green. I think the NFL told the refs to watch those bad-boy Bengals.

[Dan2330]

I am sure the 'fumble' on the play would have at least been reviewed. If I recall the play was on 3rd down? Anyone recall if it was a clear fumble on the play. All I remember of that day was going bezerk when I saw the dreaded yellow flag flying out.

Talk about guys driving QB's to the ground, anyone remember 'Goose' doing that in the AFC Championship Game to Gannon and knocking him out of the game...

[bengalsrz]

I swear I think of this play every day, and it pisses me off more every time I do! By far the worst call I've ever seen in my life. You can't call a roughing penalty on a sack.

[ArmyBengal]

I swear I think of this play every day, and it pisses me off more every time I do! By far the worst call I've ever seen in my life. You can't call a roughing penalty on a sack.

You can if you lead with your helmet, but I get your point and agree with how sh*tty of a call it was...

WHODEY !!!

[Bengalhead]

I just watched Inside the NFL on HBO last night, and it includes the almost mandatory tear jerker about the things a player has to overcome. In this example it was Richard Seymour dealing with the murder/suicide committed by his father. Included in the piece was video of Seymour sacking QB's over and over again, each time lifting his weight and driving it into the QB as they both hit the ground. It was violent, totally discretionary, and far more likely to cause injury than Justin Smith's hit on Gradkowski. More to the point, it was also an example of textbook technique that is taught to every DE who advances past the level of high school ball.

Football is a violent game that frequently boils down to which team can hit the opposing QB more often and more violently than the other guy, and that fact is often celebrated by stats like sacks, hits, and hurries. So the idea that an official will suddenly insert himself into the outcome of a game by making a call that is based soley upon his speculation about a defenders intention goes beyond being a horrible call. It's the type of action that threatens the very credibility of the NFL.

Whether the loss to the Buc's cost the Bengals a playoff spot isn't the issue. But whether it cost the Bengals a football game is. And that's why FOXSports got it right when it called that play the worst call of the entire season.

Absolutely agree. Furthermore, what is even crazier is that the guy (I forget his name) that reviews the refs for these types of calls after the fact supported it!!! I am still speechless over that whole thing.