The Debacle in Seattle (Page 3)

As far as a game taking place before the final call, I agree with you. The game should have never gotten so close. The Packers intercepted the ball when that drive began. Instead the officials made a horrific roughing call, as the commentators acknowledged, which gave the ball back to Seattle. Then the only reason Seattle was in position to throw into the end zone on the final play alone was because of an equally egregious pass interference call on Sam Shields to put the ball on the GB 24. If officials are going to "let the players play" and refrain from making a call that would determine the outcome of the game as they did by not calling Offensive Pass Interference on Golden Tate on the final play, why did they make a very questionable call on Shields to set them up for that play?

The fact is, Green Bay made the adjustments they needed to make to win that game. They had three scoring drives in the second half. Their defense allowed only seven valid points in the game. They had more total yards than Seattle, and held the ball longer. They were the better team on the field, they deserved to win the game and, if the proper calls are made on that field, they DID win that game.

As far as a game taking place before the final call, I agree with you. The game should have never gotten so close. The Packers intercepted the ball when that drive began. Instead the officials made a horrific roughing call, as the commentators acknowledged, which gave the ball back to Seattle. Then the only reason Seattle was in position to throw into the end zone on the final play alone was because of an equally egregious pass interference call on Sam Shields to put the ball on the GB 24. If officials are going to "let the players play" and refrain from making a call that would determine the outcome of the game as they did by not calling Offensive Pass Interference on Golden Tate on the final play, why did they make a very questionable call on Shields to set them up for that play?

The fact is, Green Bay made the adjustments they needed to make to win that game. They had three scoring drives in the second half. Their defense allowed only seven valid points in the game. They had more total yards than Seattle, and held the ball longer. They were the better team on the field, they deserved to win the game and, if the proper calls are made on that field, they DID win that game.

Full disclosure - I live near Seattle and I'm a Seahawks fan. I've read this whole thread and have found it mostly amusing because, frankly, it's fun to finally be on the side of the team that didn't get screwed by the bad call. That being said, I have to at least make a good natured challenge to the above assertions and stick up for the home team a bit. The nation seems to think Seattle owes everyone an apology. If anyone is looking for someone to blame, look at the NFL. Seattle doesn't owe anybody anything. 

Setting aside the last play and looking at what lead up to it, you're absolutely correct about the roughing call and the PI on Shields being ridiculous. However, let's not pretend that GB wasn't the beneficiary of ridiculous calls on scoring drives. The PI call on Chancellor on third down? Please. That was a tremendous defensive play. Without that call, GB has to punt. And what about the replay overturning Rogers' reach for the first down inside the 5? There is no way there was "indisputable" video evidence to overturn the call on the field and move the spot of that ball forward a few inches. As we're always told, the yellow line on the screen is not official, yet the replay official apparently decided it was. GB had already brought out the field goal team. If they don't get that call, they kick the field goal and it's 9-7. That changes the whole complexion of what Seattle has to do in it's last two drives and that Hail Mary never happens. It's very different if Seattle only needs a field goal instead of a touchdown. All I'm saying is there were tons of bad calls in that game that went both ways and we could review the whole game, play by play, and come up with many more that were called the wrong way and affected how the game developed.

I also don't agree that GB was the better team and deserved to win that game any more than Seattle did. Despite the horrible officiating, that game was two teams going toe to toe the whole game. GB had a better passing game, but that's not saying much. GB still only threw for 184 yards. Have you seen Seattle's passing stats this year? Groan. GB's defense did nothing special compared with Seattle's other two games. Seattle had a better rushing game, but that's not saying much either because GB's rushing stats this year are not good. And since when does getting more yards (ahem, a whopping 30 more yards) or greater time of possession determine the better team? GB has a very high-powered offense overall (mostly passing) and the Seattle defense smothered it in the first half (8 sacks, 87 total yards) and held GB to 9 deserved points for the game and an actual total of 12. Seattle deserved to win that game every bit as much as GB did.

I understand why GB fans feel the way they do. We've been there. But Seattle, especially the defense, played a good game too and put itself in position to win.

Brad

Full disclosure - I live near Seattle and I'm a Seahawks fan. I've read this whole thread and have found it mostly amusing because, frankly, it's fun to finally be on the side of the team that didn't get screwed by the bad call. That being said, I have to at least make a good natured challenge to the above assertions and stick up for the home team a bit. The nation seems to think Seattle owes everyone an apology. If anyone is looking for someone to blame, look at the NFL. Seattle doesn't owe anybody anything. 

Setting aside the last play and looking at what lead up to it, you're absolutely correct about the roughing call and the PI on Shields being ridiculous. However, let's not pretend that GB wasn't the beneficiary of ridiculous calls on scoring drives. The PI call on Chancellor on third down? Please. That was a tremendous defensive play. Without that call, GB has to punt. And what about the replay overturning Rogers' reach for the first down inside the 5? There is no way there was "indisputable" video evidence to overturn the call on the field and move the spot of that ball forward a few inches. As we're always told, the yellow line on the screen is not official, yet the replay official apparently decided it was. GB had already brought out the field goal team. If they don't get that call, they kick the field goal and it's 9-7. That changes the whole complexion of what Seattle has to do in it's last two drives and that Hail Mary never happens. It's very different if Seattle only needs a field goal instead of a touchdown. All I'm saying is there were tons of bad calls in that game that went both ways and we could review the whole game, play by play, and come up with many more that were called the wrong way and affected how the game developed.

I also don't agree that GB was the better team and deserved to win that game any more than Seattle did. Despite the horrible officiating, that game was two teams going toe to toe the whole game. GB had a better passing game, but that's not saying much. GB still only threw for 184 yards. Have you seen Seattle's passing stats this year? Groan. GB's defense did nothing special compared with Seattle's other two games. Seattle had a better rushing game, but that's not saying much either because GB's rushing stats this year are not good. And since when does getting more yards (ahem, a whopping 30 more yards) or greater time of possession determine the better team? GB has a very high-powered offense overall (mostly passing) and the Seattle defense smothered it in the first half (8 sacks, 87 total yards) and held GB to 9 deserved points for the game and an actual total of 12. Seattle deserved to win that game every bit as much as GB did.

I understand why GB fans feel the way they do. We've been there. But Seattle, especially the defense, played a good game too and put itself in position to win.

Brad

I don't agree with the outcome, but for the most part agree with your post. One thing we don't agree about is that I do feel Golden Tate does owes everyone an apology. His post game response about whether he committed offensive pass interference was ludicrous. And Pete Carroll's behavior after the game made me want to puke. Be a man, Pete. Acknowledge you saw what everyone else in the world saw, and that your team was given a gift. Don't act like your team soundly beat the other and there was no controversy. Honestly, I can't understand how any coach, player or fan could feel good about the results coming away from that game. It was just a travesty.