There Was No Fifth Down
December 13th, 2010
At the time, late in the game on what looked to be Washington’s game-trying drive, Joe thought for a moment maybe the Redskins got a fifth down. (While playing high school football, Joe’s team actually beat the bitter crosstown rival scoring a winning touchdown in the final seconds on a fifth down.)
Joe was inundated with comments, e-mails and Twitter messages that indeed there was a fifth down and Bucs fans simply ignored it since the Bucs won.
There was no fifth down, per eye-RAH! Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune who got to speak with game officials about the confusion, or misunderstanding.
While the Bucs sideline was aware of Washington’s first down, spectators and viewers had reason to believe the Redskins faced a second-and-short situation. And after an errant pass and a 4-yard loss by RB Ryan Torain, McNabb’s incompletion appeared to seal a Tampa Bay victory.
“The first pass that was made, the initial ruling was first down and the auxiliary box on the other side did not turn over,” referee Pete Morelli said. “It was showing second down. The primary box on the head linesman side, which is the main down box, had first down. So we corrected the 2 because it hung up there for a while and we corrected it to 1.”
Not much more to say about that, but call Joe a see-no-evil, hear-no-evil kinda guy in this respect. The Bucs won. That wipes away all the ills that may have happened at the hands of the zebras.
December 13th, 2010 at 8:25 am
So if the Bucs win with no original starters then this has got to be considered the luckiest team on Earth.
Doesn’t that really negate every presumption that Dom built this team with great off season recruiting?
Raheem damn well gets no credit, he just coached a defense 13 games into the season surrendering lanes wider than Jenna Jameson, giving up almost 200 yds rushing in the First Half Alone!
December 13th, 2010 at 8:39 am
Although is kills me to be the one to put this up here Joe, Geno Hayes arrested at a local Mall watering hole last night.
December 13th, 2010 at 8:43 am
Hayes was charged with trespassing and disorderly conduct at The Capital Grille. Both charges are misdemeanors.
December 13th, 2010 at 8:45 am
well, about geno, that hurts, but maybe is good enough to see we need to pick up LBs for this team, if u ask me, i think dekoda watson at will and adam hayward on sam an we will be more than fine
December 13th, 2010 at 8:45 am
Ah damnit hayes
December 13th, 2010 at 9:09 am
Well if the zebras gave the skins a first down, they shouldn’t have. It wasn’t even close to a first down. I rewound the tape from the previous first down until the pass play they say resulted in a first down. It was a full yard short. I was suprised to see Raheem accept this without a fight.
December 13th, 2010 at 9:16 am
Matt is correct, there was no first down signaled. The replay booth would stopped play and corrected the officials if the call was made. The catch was easily short of the first down marker and therefore, the Redskin’s touchdown was scored on fifth down. Karma stepped in and made a correction with a bad snap.
December 13th, 2010 at 9:21 am
Buc you: your an idiot . Show me a team that has sustained the injuries we have with the amount of rookies we start every week that wins. Hell the jets lost one guy in the secondary and have lost two games. I think Raheem has to be the best second half coach in the NFL. Aside from the 5 downs that Washington got ( I don’t care what the zebras said or that Raheem accepted it), the Bucs should have gotten their 6th second have shut out. Was it ugly in the first half? Yes but that weather was nasty as hell and Raheem found away. Lucky ???! What was lucky was Freeman getting the ball knocked out of his hand on the one. That would have been a td for sure.
December 13th, 2010 at 9:28 am
This was a screw up. The sticks were off. The tape confirms this. I agree about Karma stepping in but someone, somewhere, better take issue with this because as fleeting as our playoff chances are, a loss would have dashed them and that is criminal.
December 13th, 2010 at 9:51 am
http://gamerewind.nfl.com/nflgr/game?id=55013&play=3600&icampaign=GR_Free_Clip_nfl
You can clearly see that they are on the 12 and need to get to the 2 for a first. They get about a foot past the 3….but never make it to the two. Not only can you see that the receiver goes down before the two yard line, but they mark it correctly and run the next play starting shy of the two yard line. They may be saying it was a first down now, but it clearly wasn’t.
December 13th, 2010 at 9:53 am
This could have easily cost us the game, or at least contributed to us losing the game much like the horrible calls in Atlanta. They need to get their $h!t together and be more professional. No excuse for type of thing.
December 13th, 2010 at 10:08 am
JDouble: glad you pointed that out. I replayed the whole sequence last night, and you can clearly see 1st and 10 from the 12, the WR is clearly down at the 3, should be 2nd and 1. Here’s the kicker: the sticks on the far side (top of the screen) are at the 3… 1st and 10 at the 12… subtract 10… carry the one… 3! garbage. Inside 2 minutes to play should have been reviewed in the booth. Zebra’s need a pay cut.
December 13th, 2010 at 10:40 am
Very happy that the Football Gods did not let us lose on another controversial call at the end of the game.
December 13th, 2010 at 11:09 am
JDouble, you are absolutely correct, just like Kenny, Moose and Goose said at the time. It wasn’t even close enough to measure for a first down. Again, I say, every Zebra in the NFL should be replaced. Complete turnover. They all suck, and I believe after the Talib shouting incident that many, if not all refs are tainted and biased.
December 13th, 2010 at 11:11 am
per Steve White:
“This is a tweet from Joseph White, AP sportswriter “Watching replay, I see how #Redskins got “5th down”: Chains only measured 9 yds for 1st down. (12-yd line to 3-yd line)” Just like I said last night. Ultimately the Bucs won but don’t buy the official explanation!”
December 13th, 2010 at 11:16 am
Pete Morelli, member of the Gambino Crime family…. trying to get the game within 3 points to ensure all bets were covered. Pete was given his usual envelope after the game with his $50K cut of the winnings. Great job Pete….and of course the Warden always gets his cut too. Fire the Commisioner. Since Goodell took over the NFL it has been downhill all the way. That’s what you get when you hire Gambino’s limo driver to head things up.
December 13th, 2010 at 11:31 am
Joe, there WAS a fifth down.
Don’t let the NFL bamboozle you.
The Redskins never gained 10 yards after starting from the 12 yard line.
http://nflspinzone.com/2010/12/13/clear-evidence-washington-redskins-were-given-5-downs/
How does a 10 yard chain get reduced to an even 9?
The Bucs need to get this cleared up. Because it REEKS.
December 13th, 2010 at 11:33 am
Yes, it doesn’t matter and the Bucs won… But the defense was ROBBED of yet another 2nd half SHUTOUT.
December 13th, 2010 at 12:05 pm
Buc You, don’t you think it’s time to change your name back to Radio Mushmouth?
December 13th, 2010 at 12:17 pm
I think Jerry Markbreit was working the chains yesterday.
December 13th, 2010 at 1:01 pm
Something is definitely not right about that sequence of plays. Armstrong does appear to get the first down, according to the first down marker which was a clear yard short of the yellow line. But if you look the Bucs were on the 12 and the first down marker was on the 3.
This is worse than the damn PI ball spot in ATL…
When are the Bucs gonna get some decent officiating??
December 13th, 2010 at 2:04 pm
Don’t even get me started on that spot after the PI call in Atlanta…