Update from Howard on what transpired on the James fumble

[Nick]

From his post-game chat...

smitty: Jeff, another pit in my gut with Gus throwing the ball into triple coverage instead of scrambling for a first down, throwing to a wide open Arizona defender, and getting hosed by Gerry Austin who should retire. After today, when do you think the Rams can win their first game, cause it's not coming the next two weeks.

Jeff Gordon: Wilson made a great play on that pick, but why did Gus force that play? That was truly desperate. Vince Young he is not.

After the game, the officials admitted that the Wells "touchdown" was really a touchback. During the review, Austin didn't see the replay that proved Wade was down with the ball in the end zone. Later, he did.

Idiots.

Randall: Hey Jeff, did not Wade have the ball in the endzone on the fumble touchdown? It sure looked like it on replay and even the announcers said it appeared the offensive lineman took it a way from him. If so, once he was touched and on the ground isn't the play dead? At least that is what I thought and the announcers stated this as well. If so I guess the Rams will get another sorry from the league around wednesday.

Jeff Gordon: After the game, the officials said a replay showed that Wade had the ball for a touchback. They claimed that replay wasn't made available to the video review.

The big problem on that play is the officials thought the play was dead and didn't get in position to blow the whistle when Wade got the ball. That was just terrible work.

UPDATE: According to Howard Balzer, Gordon has it wrong. Howard provided the statement from the official from the pool report:

(On the Edgerrin James fumble that was recovered by Arizona in the end zone for a touchdown)

"We never saw an opposite side view, so you couldn't say whether the runner was down or not and we had to let the ball play because that's the way we ruled it on the field. The ruling on the field was that the defensive player had not gained full control of the ball before being hit by the offensive player, who came up with the ball; the ruling was a touchdown. We didn't have any shots in replay that would give us visual evidence to change it, so we had to stay with the call on the field. My understanding is that later they had a shot that showed [James'] elbow was down, but we never had that in replay."

So based on the official's statement, it should have been Cardinals ball on the one yard line. Whether or not Arizona would have scored is another issue. Even if you think they would have scored, the point is they didn't but were still awarded points. It remains a horrible job by the officials because they still made the wrong call that resulted in unearned points.

[AvengerRam]

We do seem to be snakebit accross the board this year.

[woody4cards]

and the conspiracy theory continues!!!!

[Nick]

and the conspiracy theory continues!!!!

What conspiracy theory? If the refs got it wrong, they got it wrong. We're talking about points on the board here, and the officials confirm the touchdown shouldn't have stood. I don't see how a reasonable person could shrug this off or call it some kind of conspiracy.

[RealRam]

Grrrrrrrrr! :bash:

:x Maybe officials thought they were in Arizona?

[RealRam]

After a few hours of calm and objective analysis, after reviewing the extremely questionable calls in today's game, I can honestly say this is one of those rare NFL instances where the game was taken away from us.

The Rams tried valiantly, made mistakes, lost the game. They scored 31 points. Take away at least one TD granted, "granted" to the Cards...

It was simply a case of crass / costly errors by the officials. :x

[woody4cards]

well i see all of you writing that the officials made a mistake ....if you dont mind ....I will wait until I read something issued from the NFL.... rather than from the RAM talk forum at Clanram

of course if you all do not mind

[AlphaRam]

I am shocked that we can get screwed this badly and Ernie Nevers not be part of the officiating team.

[Nick]

well i see all of you writing that the officials made a mistake ....if you dont mind ....I will wait until I read something issued from the NFL.... rather than from the RAM talk forum at Clanram

of course if you all do not mind

Actually it's not coming from this site, it's coming from Post Dispatch writer Jeff Gordon, who covers the team.

http://www.stltoday.com/discussions/...LD10040779/all

But I also would like to hear something more official from the NFL.

[r8rh8rmike]

But I also would like to hear something more official from the NFL.

That ought to be interesting.

[Nick]

Howard has provided the statement directly from the official, and it seems Gordon was incorrect in his reporting of what was said.

See the first post in this thread to read the official's statements.

[supachump]

I don't see how a reasonable person could shrug this off or call it some kind of conspiracy.

That's the problem.

[bigredman]

Ok...so the refs blew a call. It happens. I don't like falling back on blaming the refs for losing a game. Were these teams so lights out great, that it came down to one play to determine the winner? No. There are plenty of plays that can be pointed to that would have afforded the Rams to have won this game. Let's stop the crying!

[Truth]

Ok...so the refs blew a call. It happens. I don't like falling back on blaming the refs for losing a game. Were these teams so lights out great, that it came down to one play to determine the winner? No. There are plenty of plays that can be pointed to that would have afforded the Rams to have won this game. Let's stop the crying!

I agree with BRM. Although the officiating was questionable, we made plenty of mistakes of our own. It would be just as easy to say that if Gus wouldn't have thrown to a wide open defender for a touchdown, we could have won the game.

I'm also rather disgusted with our last TD drive. Don't get me wrong. I'm glad we scored. We were just so sluggish getting down field. With the exception of the TD pass, I believe the longest pass was 4 yards, and almost everything was down the middle.

[RANDYRAM]

ya if we run the ball with 2:15 1 or 2 times and take time off the clock just before 1/2 time insted of 3 incompletes and we got a f/g we don't leave kurt 1:15 to go down to get a td (that coaching is killing us)