2021-2022 NFL Season

[Dr. Blackheart]

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/justin-fields-deep-pass-cole-033742140.html

This pretty much reflects my sentiment on the Bears offense.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Marsh's stupidity is mind boggling.

After the game he said the ref intentionally hip-checked him as he ran off the field.

Intentional, probably not. But he sure didn't make any effort to get out of the way.

[The Sultan]

Intentional, probably not. But he sure didn't make any effort to get out of the way.

Why should he get out of the way? It looked like he couldn't find his flag.

Anyway I hate taunting calls, but that was what the emphasis is for. Can't really blame the ref for that one.

Others though...

[MU82]

Superbly written critique of the Aaron Rodgers vaccine situation by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar:

https://kareem.substack.com/p/aaron-rodgers-didnt-just-lie?campaign_id=4&emc=edit_dk_20211109&instance_id=44940&nl=dealbook&regi_id=108420427&segment_id=73894&te=1&user_id=d36dcf821462fdd16ec3636710a855fa

[Dish]

The Corrente hip check video gets worse every time I see it.

[forgetful]

Why should he get out of the way? It looked like he couldn't find his flag.

Anyway I hate taunting calls, but that was what the emphasis is for. Can't really blame the ref for that one.

Others though...

I have to disagree on this. The emphasis was not for a player flexing/or whatever 40 yards from the opposing bench. That call was absurd.

And live, I didn't think the ref initiated anything. Watching replays, he makes eye contact, and then intentionally turns his hip into the player.

I agree with some of the analysts, if a player did the same thing to a ref, they would have been ejected and fined.

[The Sultan]

But I can't understand WHY the ref would do that anyway.

[JWags85]

Why should he get out of the way? It looked like he couldn't find his flag.

Anyway I hate taunting calls, but that was what the emphasis is for. Can't really blame the ref for that one.

Others though...

Maybe he doesn't have to jump out of the way, but then don't throw a flag.  I get that players can't touch an official in an effort to protect refs and try to curb aggression, but its gotten to a point where if a ref gets grazed for any reason he reaches for a flag.  And its been going on for years, I remember a game a few years ago where a player was ejected for contact to an official for running up and tapping a ref on the shoulder to get his attention.

But I can't understand WHY the ref would do that anyway.

I have no clue, but they had been HORRIBLE all game.  Blatantly bad, so I'm sure the Bears were not quiet about it and had been jawing, most likely including Marsh.

[The Sultan]

The flag wasn't for touching the ref though right?

[Jockey]

Every Bears defender ran back toward their own bench after the play. Marsh ran toward the Steelers' bench. Just stupidity.

[Jockey]

Furthermore, It was Marsh who invaded the ref's space - he ran right at him. There would have been contact even if the ref didn't move an inch.

[jesmu84]

Every Bears defender ran back toward their own bench after the play. Marsh ran toward the Steelers' bench. Just stupidity.

SO running toward your own bench is the way to avoid a taunting penalty?

[Dish]

Furthermore, It was Marsh who invaded the ref's space - he ran right at him. There would have been contact even if the ref didn't move an inch.

We'll strongly disagree here. Corrente leans, Marsh pivots left, Corrente sticks his hip out.

[PGsHeroes32]

Furthermore, It was Marsh who invaded the ref's space - he ran right at him. There would have been contact even if the ref didn't move an inch.

It was very clearly initiated by the ref.

There seems to be a lot of debate on should Marsh be penalized and should this stupid taunting rule even be a thing.

But I am seeing basically unanimous agreement this morning that the ref was at fault on the collision.

Marsh pretty blatantly was show to be trying to swerve to the left of the ref

[Jockey]

It was very clearly initiated by the ref.

There seems to be a lot of debate on should Marsh be penalized and should this stupid taunting rule even be a thing.

But I am seeing basically unanimous agreement this morning that the ref was at fault on the collision.

Marsh pretty blatantly was show to be trying to swerve to the left of the ref

Um....

He wouldn't have needed to "try" to swerve if he didn't run right at the ref.

[wadesworld]

It looked to me like the ref saw Marsh going one way, tried to start moving out of his way at the same time Marsh changes his course, and then the ref just kind of loses his train of thought, while at the same time reaching for his flag.

He wasn't even flagged for running into the ref, right?  If not, what's the big deal?  That the refs were so blatantly out for the Bears that they were trying to hip check them while they run to the sideline?  I have my doubts on that, but maybe I'm wrong.

[jficke13]

Um....

He wouldn't have needed to "try" to swerve if he didn't run right at the ref.

If Marsh had only just never decided to play football as a child, he wouldn't have been in the NFL, and therefore wouldn't have been in a position to make contact with the ref. Ergo, Marsh was at fault.

[The Sultan]

It looked to me like the ref saw Marsh going one way, tried to start moving out of his way at the same time Marsh changes his course, and then the ref just kind of loses his train of thought, while at the same time reaching for his flag.

He wasn't even flagged for running into the ref, right?  If not, what's the big deal?  That the refs were so blatantly out for the Bears that they were trying to hip check them while they run to the sideline?  I have my doubts on that, but maybe I'm wrong.

Yep.

[jesmu84]

Outside of the ref stuff, the taunting call was absolutely terrible.

It's fine for 97 guys to run 50 yards down the field and talk crap to a camera.

But don't you dare take 3 steps towards an opponent bench (even if you make zero motions and don't say any words)

[jficke13]

Outside of the ref stuff, the taunting call was absolutely terrible.

It's fine for 97 guys to run 50 yards down the field and talk crap to a camera.

But don't you dare take 3 steps towards an opponent bench (even if you make zero motions and don't say any words)

Yep. Taunting should only be a penalty if it rises to the level of taking your football glove off and slapping another player across the face in an overt invitation to duel. Anything short of that should be encouraged.

[JWags85]

FWIW, I don't think the refs were "out to get" the Bears.  I just think they were horrible and the Bears unfortunately took the brunt of some of the bad calls.

As for the ref, it almost seemed like he was debating throwing the flag and Marsh making contact confirmed him throwing the flag.  Like "ehhh...ok yea, Boom"

Either way, in no way shape or form should that have been a penalty, whether for taunting or contact with the official.  It was just a clown show.  Marsh didn't even come within a few yards of the numbers, much less the sideline.

But the idea that refs are perfectly calm and neutral and don't exhibit pettiness or whatnot in certain instances is silly.

[jesmu84]

The most egregious call in the game was the missed late hit on Fields.

[MU82]

Taunting call was bad.

To me, ref seemed to be reaching for the flag before contact, so flag wasn't for that.

I just don't know what would motivate the ref to initiate contact. That makes no sense. I think most of us have been in a situation where somebody has walked toward us and we try to step out of the way but we misread where the person was going and accidentally either contact or get close to contacting the person. I mean, I'm trying to play Jr. Shrink here ... I just don't see a situation where a ref intentionally tries to contact a player there. If they somehow can determine that's what this ref did, he should be fired and never allowed to work another game at any level.

The Steelers got most of the calls last night, especially most of the big ones. But the Bears do lose some moral high ground when they do shyte like constantly line up in the neutral zone. I'm watching the game last night and a couple plays after Quinn gets called, I say, "Damn, he's in the neutral zone again!" And he got called again. And a couple plays later, I'm like, "This time the LEFT end is in the neutral zone." And he gets called. It was so obvious, and so stupid. But that doesn't excuse some of the terrible calls/no-calls in that game, and they definitely hurt the Bears.

[Jockey]

FWIW, I don't think the refs were "out to get" the Bears.  I just think they were horrible and the Bears unfortunately took the brunt of some of the bad calls.

As for the ref, it almost seemed like he was debating throwing the flag and Marsh making contact confirmed him throwing the flag.  Like "ehhh...ok yea, Boom"

Either way, in no way shape or form should that have been a penalty, whether for taunting or contact with the official.  It was just a clown show.  Marsh didn't even come within a few yards of the numbers, much less the sideline.

But the idea that refs are perfectly calm and neutral and don't exhibit pettiness or whatnot in certain instances is silly.

I agree with the 1st paragraph, but it was clearly taunting. Marsh came over from the steelers and ran toward their sidelines rather than his own team's just  to do an "in your face".

The issue is the effect it had on the game. I think there should be a rule against taunting - but it needs to be de-coupled from live game action. Football is an emotional game and most of the time it is just a visceral reaction by the player. Instead of penalizing a team, just levy a fine after the player in the week after the game. The NFL does that sort of thing all of the time.

[Jockey]

If Marsh had only just never decided to play football as a child, he wouldn't have been in the NFL, and therefore wouldn't have been in a position to make contact with the ref. Ergo, Marsh was at fault.

If God had only created Eve instead of Adam & Eve, we wouldn't have football and this kind of thing would never be an issue.