More like a bad decade. It's amazing to me that the NFL has stood idly by while these groups of butchers continue to demonstrate ineptness. It's real simple call what you see, not what you think probably, maybe, might have happened. If the official had stated the receiver had possession when the ball broke he plane of the end zone it's one thing, but to say he had two feet down is just plain absurd.

Bad referee calls cost BOTH pittsburgh games this year. Remember Mason's TD ruled out of bounds in 1st half of earlier game?

Instead of the Dallas cryboys ,, is should be the it should be the Baltimore ball babies!!!

I agree 100% - and it stings so much more due to the playoff implications of the game and the call. I give the Stellers credit for that last drive, but the officials appear to be over-thinking everything these days.

I think you are nailing part of the problem correctly. it seems the officials do use the replay to justify or correct a call. I think a bigger part of the problem is we are using part timers to decide these games. With football being the biggest sport in the US outside of politics, the refs should be full time employees and not part timers. The players and the fans who spend their money on this fine entertaining product ( and in spite of the outcome yesterday, it was a highly exciting game from my perch, on our feet up in the upper deck the whole game) deserve full time refs held accountable the way full time employees are. It wouldn't cost all that much more to make them full time. You are talking about 100 employees added to a multi-billion dollar a year business. These rich owners with their publicly financed stadiums, $4 water, and $8 beer can afford to toss out a little extra ching to improve their product.

What do they (whoever they are) say? The prevent PREVENTS YOU FROM WINNING!

Get after Ben on that last drive and you have no contreversy at the end. You have the Steelers giving up the ball on downs at their own 39 and the Ravens run out the clock.

UGH. At least TEX and PA enjoyed a few crab-tinis in PA's box. Rumor has it that if TEX could make a 35 yd field goal after the game, he'd sign with the Os for 9 years, 230 million.

I thought that to overturn a call on the field, it required "conclusive evidence ." I never saw that on the (flawed) call in the steelers-Ravens game.

Peter,
You are absolutely correct about all the re-play decisions this year. But, I think the real reason the Ravens lost the game is that stupid 'prevent defense' with just a three man rush. It sure didn't prevent any of the Steeler receivers from being wide open on that last drive.

Ehh...Pete, I felt this way initially last night, but the Raven's did let them drive 92-yards to get to the 'inch' line. The Raven's gave them the game, just like they did earlier in the season. The main reason? Flacco. He seems to struggle against better teams. He must learn to play smarter - especially since we will always face the Steelers at least twice a year. Maybe a little more study time on complex defenses and understanding the coverages? Or the rookie jitters creep up on him when he has nasty defense in his face? Either way...he has to show up better than he did. Great quaterbacks find a way to win, even when they have bad outings. Like Ben last night...he stunk it up until the final game winning drive. You can only expect a defense to be so good. Regardless....the Ravens should be proud of what they accomplished - it's just disappointing as a fan to see them lose the way they did.

I did shout some obsenities at the ref's from my living room last night...but the Ravens allowed it to get to that point.

I do agree though...if the receiver was initially ruled to be outside the 'plane' on the field, and the replay shows no 'conclusive evidence'...how does it get overturned? That should never happen...but it does....all the time. The whole purpose of the replay is to get the call right...now we replay it to get the call wrong. I am sure Steelers fans would say otherwise...but it is pointless to argue. It's a loss. Now we have to play the Cowboys........this is not looking good for playoff hopes - even if we make it, we probably would get an early exit playing like this.

Can you agree?

Ravens offense lost this game, not the refs. Flacco was awful, the Ravens had great field position all game long and could manage only 3 field goals. In a replay of recent Ravens history, the lack of offense cost them another big game.

Interestingly, on ESPN SportsCenter, every single commentator thought the call to overturn the call on the field was wrong. The main comment was that it was so close that there was no "incontrovertible visual evidence" that it was a TD. In fact, the commentators said that if it had been called a TD on the field, that should have stood too. It was simply too close to call, which means the call on the field stands.

There was that ridiculous spot earlier in the game that gave the Steelers a first down instead of a fourth-and-one on their 29. It was obviously way off on the replay - and they let it stand upon review.

Whoa Peter .... Once again let's blame the officials and exonerate the poor Baltimore Ravens. I watched every angle the network replayed and agreed with the officials. The point is the Ray Lewis lead defense allowed the league's 24th ranked offense to march 92 yards for the game winning score.

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Pete's reply: That's true, but it doesn't matter if you agree with the officials or not. It's about the replay showing conclusively the original call was wrong. You and both know there was no such replay.

The NFL could care less whether the Ravens win or lose. The notion that the referees make bad calls because they have it out for Baltimore is ridiculous. However, there is a much more logical conspiracy theory that will be scoffed at by the “watchdog” media, but is worth considering. The line on this game went from Ravens giving two points to the Raves giving 2 ½. The jump occurred late in the week. Apparently, the late money was coming in on the Ravens. It is certainly possible that too much money went in on the Ravens late and Vegas needed help. For those that think this is impossible, please remember the NBA betting scandal and the unfettered greed that fueled our current economic crisis. The call on the field was reversed even though there was no angle that gave a clear answer. That play has been shown several times since and nobody can definitively say one way or another. Yet, we are supposed to believe that an official bent over looking at a tiny screen could see irrefutable evidence after watching the replay for 5 minutes? When you consider the bad spot review earlier in the game, you certainly have to at least wonder what extra incentives may have motivated the referees last night.

"Maybe the decision was ultimately correct, but that's not really the point"

Um, er, actually that was the point (6 of them)

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Pete's reply: No, actually, er, it wasn't. The NFL has rules and the referees are supposed to abide by them. That's my point. Did you really want them deciding the game instead of the players. The Steelers probably punch the ball in anyway, but the referees bent the rules to end the game. It's possible the ball broke the plane, but there was no proof of that, so they are supposed to stick to the original call. Simple as that.

No place for you in the SB- too much whiing.

Blame Rex Ryan. Yes, that's right. He started playing prevent defense rushing just 3 on that drive. That's what prevented a win. Don't blame the refs.

All we ever ask for is some level of consistency! The 3rd and 1 review that was lost by The Raven's when the video clearly showed the runner was not even close to the 30 yd line, cannot be balanced with the goal line call that handed the game to Pitt. Pathetic ref's!

WOW! A Baltimore blogger who is not bitter and actually has some good points. How refreshing! I actually found your post by accident. I've been gang-raping Steve DeClueless all weekend with fellow Steelers fans when he started a blog about "Steelers week". It's not even fun anymore as his comments have no substance and the Ravens fans won't even show up anymore, but I digress.

I haven't read any other of your blogs ... yet. So, I hope I'm not "crowning" you too early, but I completely agree with what you say. Yes, I believe the ball crossed the goalline, but it needed more proof than that to "overturn" the original call. Vice-versa, if the call had been TD, I don't think it could have been overturned either.

Good job! I'm leaving the sorry "wanna be" blogger DeClueless and am now going to chekc out your work!

Could some please explain to me why 3 times in the Red Zone on 3rd down, we emptied the backfield and went 4 wide?? I understand trying to exploit PIT's aggressive D, and try to beat the blitz with a quick slant, but against our young offensive line, a rookie QB needs more protection in the red zone. Where was the double TE set with Wilcox, our "Money guy" the last few year's in the Red Zone? Didn't see him all day. As I stated, I understand trying something different down in the zone to hopefully burn the blitz, but MaGahee wide?? Should've been a sign to Cam & the Coaches the first time they tried it- and Flacco had to unload before his receivers were even 5 yrds down the field. So to try it 2 more time's in a row??? Felt like Brian Billick all over again (though it was a bit more of a creative effort @ least.) Samari Rolle having to give Hines Ward a 10 yard cushion on every play, going into his backpedal 2 seconds before the snap, doesn't cut it. Fabian can cover all day, & losing him the last drive really hurt as D.Washington made his only play's of the day on that drive when Frank Walker was covering him. With C-Mac gone, (& Rolle, who might as well already be off the field, if he's so slow he has to play that soft), need a bigtime CB & WR this off-season.
D'angelo Hall would sure look nice in Purple right about now (as he would've the past 6 weeks.)

The amazing thing is that the earlier challenge by Harbaugh, on the spot, was clearly overturnable and no one, Steeler fan or not, could have disagreed with it????

You echoed my thoughts word for word. Get out of my head! The scenario you described is EXACTLY what should have been done. The game would have been settled on the field, not in the booth and no one would be sitting here this morning with a bad case of the "what-ifs".

Right on Pete! The Rule is clear and to me, I don't think he actual got in... How can you over turn that? Conclusive??? No way!

Steeler fan here. That was a touchdown, period. However the review earlier in the game for the first down was blown by the refs. Sorry to say, but there is no team in the NFL I enjoy beating that the Ravens...

Typical thug Ravens:

Like most fans, I was astonished at how Steeler kicker Jeff Reed could have been stupid enough to incur a 15-yard penalty for pushing the Ravens Frank Walker, with the game's outcome still undecided. Well, it turns out that Reed pushed Walker for spitting in the face of the Steeler holder, Mitch Berger.

"The guy dove, he tried to take out Jeff's knee," said Berger, who holds for Reed's kicks. "I went over there and he got up and he spit in my face -- and they called it on Jeff for pushing him!"

Reed drew a 15-yard penalty that was marked off on his kickoff after the score.

"I tried to get in the middle to separate him but he got in my face and spit right in my mouth. He spit right in my mouth. I'm still trying to spit that ... out. I was talking to him, trying to separate everybody and he spit right in my mouth."

Say the Head-Linesman had called it a touchdown from the Get-Go? And the booth then decided to challenge it...would there be indisputable evidence to overturn THAT call, no there woudn't have been. And thats what the replay decsion would be. My point being, there was not indisputable evident EITHER WAY, but I know the ref would have made the "right" call had it been orginnaly called a TD.

Not having F. Washington on that last drive lost the game for us. He was having a monster game, and we needed him for that last drive.

It's really too bad that the refs had to decide the outcome, and not the players.

1) One of the field goals should have been a touchdown, Flacco and Cam did not have their best day.

2) Rex playing prevent instead of blitzing, which kept Ben off his game was the second mistake.

3) Never, ever count on Ref's or replays to win a game.

4) Pittsburgh did what they needed to do to win.

The Ravens lost the game, pure and simple. The Steelers proved that they are the class of the AFC along with the Titans and the rest of us are wannabe's. When good teams get the "Lucky Break" it is more than just luck. As I think one great coach once said; "Good teams make their own luck." If the Steelers make it to the Superbowl, I will be rooting for them.

too bad the ravens are in the same division as the steelers you cant have two first place teams!!!

Both calls were bad, but failing to put pressure on Ben Gay falls squarely on the shoulders of Rex Ryan. I thought he knew better than to go with prevent defense against a good QB.

There were so many missed calls in this game. Holding by Baltimore, leading to a long completed pass and field goal, clipping(block in the back) on the long punt return, NO caLL on Washington for pass interference, downfield contact on a completion to Heap...

"Conclusive" evidence obviously is in the eye of the beholder. From the previous posts it is obvious if you agree with the call it was conclusive evidence if you don't it was not. However, from the "unbiased" NYT, Judy Batista stated that the Times photograph showed conclusively that the ball had crossed the plane. What say you to that Schmuck?

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Pete's reply: I said originally that it's possible it was the right call, but they don't get to look at the NYT photo an hour later. They have to go off the video and it was definitelyl not conclusive. There was no eye of the beholder here. You couldn't tell either way. I wish it had been conclusive. The outcome would have been the same and the NFL wouldn't have another embarrassing officiating issue.

On the reversal of the call awarding the touchdown, what is the issue? Under the rules, a catch is awarded when the reciever taps two feet down. A reciever who taps both feet inside the out of bounds line anywhere on the field is awarded a catch, no matter where the ball is. Often the player and the ball land totally out of bounds. If the reciever's feet tap inside the line, it's a catch. The ball may even be out of bounds when caught. What matters is where the feet are when the ball is caught. It is not whether the ball crossed the out of bounds line. Also, same rule applies when a punt team player standing on the goal line touches a punted ball which ball is still in the field of play when touched. Even if the ball never crosses the plane, and may bounce on the one yard line, the ruling is touchback, because the player was in the endzone when he touched the ball. A catch with two feet down in the endzone is a touchdown, no matter where the ball is, on any side of the endzone. The rule on the crossing the plane deals mostly with running plays when the back or qb is pushed back out of the endzone by the tackling player, the issue is whether the ball got across the plane, if the player's head got in, but not his feet. So the call on the field was reversed because of the rules on where the reciever's feet came down when he caught the ball, just like any other catch anywhere else on the field. It's apparently the same rule for a touchback which does not require the ball to cross the plane of the goaline, based on where the player is who touched the ball. The Ravens are an awesome team, I hope the Steelers don't play them again this season. Mike

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Pete's reply: Sorry, the two-feet in rule doesn't apply at the goal line. The ball has to break the plane, period.

Although the overturned call was clearly (IMHO) incorrect, that does not change the fact that the Ravens did virtually nothing with the golden opportunities handed to them yesterday. They did not deserve to win the game. Pittsburgh outplayed them by enough to win.

My biggest issue is that instant replay is supposed to be used only to correct obvious erroneous calls made on the field, This is clearly NOT what happened yesterday, and it's been happening all year. The replay booth is being used as another official which is far outside the scope of what it was supposed to do. The call on the field should ALWAYS stand unless the replay shows it to be an obvious mistake.

The Ravens were robbed. That is indisputable. Absent the two clearly blown replay calls, the Steelers only scored 3 points. 9 points beats 3, and but for the two blown calls the Ravens win.

It seems 100% of the Ravens big games are decided in their opponents favor by disputed officiating calls. Something is rotten in the NFL.

Please I'm begging you people stop even talking about the officials. Just for Gods sake stop it! Pittsburgh won and no call in the world would of stopped that from happening. Yes I'm a steelers die hard fan. But the reality is the raven got swept of their own field. I hate the ravens for obvious reasons being a steelers fan. But they are a great team and they should be proud of themselves. I respect them! How couldn't I they are a mirror image of the steelers. But they aren't as good. Point blank period. We are superman and they are bizzarro.

The reason Flacco struggles in big games is the terrible game plans. They play the big games not to lose instead of to win. They shelve all the trick plays and screen passes and go run, run, pass, punt. We were playing the number one defense in the NFL and we constantly put Flacco in third and long situations. Most Pro Bowl QBs would fail in that situation. I have no idea why we didn't start the game with some safe screens and slants to get Flacco's confidence up and get him in a rythym. There were 8 men in the box the entire game against us. Throw on first and second down.

While there is no question the better team won yesterday. (The Raven's are a season or two away from pounding the Squealers on a regular basis.) It would have been nice if the game was settled on the field and not in a replay booth.

While I initailly agreed and in anger couldnt figure out how the play was ruled a touchdown, chris collingsworth on sunday nite football used the "yellow line" to show the front part of the goal line, and the ball "breaking it" and did seem conclusively to show that the play was indeed a touchdown.I guess all that matters is that the Referee felt it was conclusive.Beat Dallas!

Good blog post. I m a Steeler fan just passing through to gauge reaction from the MD side.

The call on the field never should have been overturned. I think the Steelers still would have won either way (cuz I m obviously biased)... but I would have preferred the players decide the game, not the refs.

Instant Replay clearly has some problems as it stands. My question is why involve the referee at all? An official in the booth has more time, would be less rushed and is in a better environment to make that kind of decision. Having the referee run over to some sideline screen seems so arbitrary, and it clearly isn t working.

These are games are fine as entertainment, but they are just that.

The officials are bought.

Many refereees are corrupt and altering the outcomes of games intentionally.

The NFL allows this with a cornucopia of judgment calls the officials are given the power to make. To dramatically influence a game, an outside party need only bribe a linesman (they can make the pass interference calls) and a referee (holding, roughing and play reviews).

I believe this era will come to be viewed as the rigged era in the NFL with the truth of the system is unvield to history.

With all the blatant examples of how humans will sink to any moral low to maximize profits (steriods, accounting abuses at Enron, Madoff) staring us in the face now anyone who doesn't approach these issues with massive cynicism is being wilffully ignorant.

These games are fixed.

Did Brian Billeck call the Ravens offense off plays. Way to conservative, offfense lost the came not the refs.

I'm neither a Raven or Steeler fan, and I think they blew the call. The replay did not have overwhelming evidence to overturn the call on the field. That's the whole point of the rule.

I don't think those calls (the 3rd and 1 was definitely wrong, and I agree that the TD call was not clear enough) were the reason we lost.

The Ravens failed to capitalize on the early field position advantage. Flacco missed Mason a few times for scores. It was clear in this game that the team that scored a touchdown would win. They have Big Ben, we have a developing rookie QB. Considering we don't have many threats at WR, they seemed to really miss Ray Rice-- McGahee can't catch. Didn't LeRon McClain drop a possible TD over the middle too? The Steelers made the plays we didn't, it's that simple. The fact that we can focus on a couple of controversial reviews just highlights that the Ravens are close to the upper echelon but not there yet. The defenses basically canceled out and the Steelers offense has a more capable veteran QB (right now).

Once again Schmuck you don't seem to have a clue. A flawed system???? More like horrible referees who don't understand that to overturn something you need irrefutable evidence, or you have to consider there is corruption throughout the league.

hey pete, what about steelers kicker jeff reed saying Frank Walker spit in his mouth?

It looked a couple times like Walker was about to implode and pull a "mad backer" when he came in during the second half

Peter- I was wondering if you read how idiotic Buster Olney is in his article today. I mean, do these guys have season tickets to the Red Sox? They think any other team aside from the Sox, Yanks, and a few select NL teams, are just fodder. I wish I new where he lived.

The bigger problem, I think, is that the head referee did not know the rules. His on field explanation sounded like he thought that 2 feet in and control of the ball meant it was a touchdown. Not whether the ball broke the plane. I know he clarified it after the game and probably after his fellow officials informed him of the rules. Either way it sucks that, as of lunchtime today, the steelers have yet to make it into the ravens end zone but still win.

Waaaaaahhhhhhh! Quit your crying and start licking your wounds. The Steelers "D" outplayed Baltimore's and it showed on the scoreboard when the clock hit 0:00. The Steelers are crowned kings of the AFC North again and no matter how much you "Purple Peter Eaters" complain, it's not going to change. Go Steelers!!!

People,

We still control our own destiny. Lets quit whining Ravens Fans and move on to how to beat the Cowboys this week. We beat them and its a shoe in into the playoffs. And hey maybe after winning the opening playoff game we can see if three times the charm against the Steelers in the divisional round.

Lots to be happy about folks. We have a QB, A good coaching staff and a chance to make the playoffs in December.This is all gravy to me as I had us 7-9 way back in July when I got my Season Tickets.

I am pretty sure most of you thought the same or less of our chances.

It's great to be atop of the division and listen to the Baltimore Cry Baby fans play the "what if" game. The "PLANE" truth is that Santonio scored the winning TD. The Steelers are 5-0 in the division, AFC North Champs, and well on their way to Home Field advantage in the Playoffs. As usual the Ravens talked a good game.....too bad the outcome has nothing to do with talking.

Flacco stinks

I tried to make this same argument on the fan feedback section of NFL game center and found that all of my comments questioning the officiation of the game were mysteriously removed while heaps of trash-talking garbage remained.

I find it appalling that NFL officials remain unchecked with the slew of wrong or controversial calls being made. The whole purpose of replay is to get the call correct; or if it is impossible to determine, uphold the call on the field.

The CBS commentators look at the same video feeds as the officials, and I can't fathom how Walt Coleman was able to find overwhelming evidence to overturn the call on the field of no touchdown. The 3rd and 1 ball spot earlier in the game was absolutely ridiculous as well.

Even as a Ravens fan, I wouldn't be upset if the Steelers had won the game, so long as they EARN that win, not have it handed to them by corrupt officials.

I thought the holding on Harrison and the spitting in the kickers face to the list of bad calls and typical of the junk the ratbirds bring to the table each week.

A great philosopher once said, " You have to play better than the refs ref", Chuck Noll, circa 1973 after a ref's call supposedly cost them a football game.

Of course the Ravens could/should have put the game away on offense long before the final 2 minutes, Of course, Cameron got a little gun shy for the same game in which our rookie quarterback looked [understandably] like a rookie. Of course, Ryan, too, got a little scared with a prevent D employing our tattered assortment of available D-backs. Of course, the refs don't have it out for Baltimore - Peter raises the more distressing point that too many NFL games are turning on officiating and now "blown" reviews. Of course, Pittsburgh mounted a strong final drive ( and their bag of tricks is going to run out long before the SB). But I gotta agree with D. Steele. With the original spot:4th down and the ball on the less than one yard line - we're still in the game. Maybe we stop them if they go for it, maybe they opt to tie and we play OT. WE STILL HAD CHANCES! Of course, we didn't use our chances well up to that point, but the overturning took that one last chance away. and not due to anyone wearing black & gold, but rather a guy wearing black & white. Big picture is it's not the way season's are supposed to end.

Of course I know anything can happen in the NFL - just ask the @#$%&-ing refs - but unfortunately here's what probably happens: a deflated young, beat up Ravens team goes to Dallas, plays a team that looked pretty good to me Sun night, gets spooked by the hullaballo of closing Texas stadium, drops one to an insane asylum of a team that realizes it's own unlikely 2008 redemption and playoff $ is on the line, gets energized by fans cheering Too Tall Jones, Staubach & Aikman, et al, as they are trotted out, and for another 60 minutes somehow stops being their own worst enemies. We recover and beat Jax on the last game, but the AFC wild cards are Indy and a runner-up from the East.
Of course, 10-6 is a great recovery from 5-11 ( one that few of us realistically expected even as late as August), but I'll not forget how refs shaped the 4th quarters/outcomes against Tenn. and BOTH TIMES v.Pitts. And if it is a league wide problem, that fact makes it more maddening, not less maddening

PS Of course, if this had happened to Pittsburgh, Squeeler Nation would be bitching just as hard as Raven nation is today.

The front page on the sun Web site doesn't have the headline for your latest blog post, as they usually do.

They are reporting that the feed is not available at this time.

Peter, did you eat it?

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Pete's reply: Now, that's just unkind.

I'm surprised there isn't more talk about the first blown review, in the second quarter, when the refs gave about an extra full yard to the Steelers RB on 3rd and 1, where he pretty definitively got stuffed at the line. Instead of being stopped and punting on 4th and 1 from their own 30, the Steelers convert, drive downfield and kick their first field goal of the day.

Watching the play live, I didn't think there was a chance they gave him the first down, let alone upheld the call after review. Phil Simms in the booth was already talking about the Ravens offense getting the ball back. Instead, somehow, the call was upheld. It was a poorly, poorly officiated game all around, though I think its hard not to say the Ravens got screwed on both challenges.

oh my god schmuck what the hell was going on yesterday? why were the ravens playing to hold on to the lead instead of playing to score points? thats how it seemed to me. Horrible play calling . . . . Defense played their hearts out but oh well. Flacco did not deliver. your thoughts on the ravens play calling?

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Pete's reply: Seems very conservative to me, but Cam has done a great job all year, so I guess it was just a clinker.

I make a toast to my steeler nation. Raise your glasses and cheers to all. I haven't heard this much whining and complaining since my daughter was 2 omg are you ravens fans serious. Please show some pride. Please its actually pathetic. Look if you keep acting like children you guys will no desert. You have been swept. You have the number 2 defense. Again number 2 that would mean we have the number 1 defense and WOW did it show yesterday. You are acting like that was the only play in the game. There was how many plays yesterday and you talk about 1 of them are you insane. The steeler fans could come on here and go play after play on how we absolutley owned you. By the way please tell timmons to send mason a christmas card this year because WOW he smashed him. Lmao. Look next time you guys can get at us. Next time. Lmao. Its always nextime right ravens fans

The NFL hates the Ravens, plain and simple. Ravens are better than the Steelers. and the Steelers D is overrated, it's not even near the 2006 Raven D.

All low scoring games have questionable officiating. It is built into the game. Sometimes a 9-6 game is a sheer dog of a contest played by two inept teams usually in poor weather conditions.

But not yesterday. It was great football. For the most part, the refs let the two teams slug it out without calling pass interference or holding penalties. I thought the ravens caught a number of breaks with Adam Terry holding James Harrison, and Fabian Washington and Samari Rolle making illegal contact.

With a minimum of points the "scores" become the individual "plays" that make or break your chance to win. In a high scoring game, you can easily hide behind the scoreboard and miss the subtleties in the officiating.

The turnover battle was even, ravens won the field position battle, but pittsburgh was able to muster one more play - so they won. Total yardage was even before that last drive. Suggs got injured. Washington got injured. Reed slipped on a 3-10 pass to Nate Washington. Just untimely bad breaks.

No one talks about officiating in a 39-36 game. Here is hoping the ravens can build off their good performance and beat Dallas. Also as a #6 seed, they might meet #1 pittsburgh in the divisional round. Winning Round 3 would certainly make up for losing Rounds 1 and 2.

Slightly touching the goal line = breaking the plane = touchdown

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Pete's reply: Only if you're 100 percent sure in a replay situation.

It was nice to see all those retarded adults at the game that had been given tickets, as well as free Steelers jerseys and yellow bibs for feeding time. Nice gesture at Xmastime. God Bless us all - everyone!

It was nice to see all those retarded adults at the game that had been given tickets, as well as free Steelers jerseys and yellow bibs for feeding time. Nice gesture at Xmastime. God Bless us all - everyone!

I agree that the D screwed it up. They never should have been in a position to put it within inches of the goal line. Unfortunately they did, and the refs gave them the inches more they needed.

Let's hope Indy loses their next two games, since that seems to be our only hope. I hope the Steelers will be cursed for that bonehead call.

I heard that the Steelers owners have casinos in Florida. Isn't it illegal for NFL team owners to have gambling institutions? Just proof of how corrupt the Steelers are.

The more I look at that play the more unsure of it I am. I definitely could not say it was a touchdown nor could I say it wasn't, though I'm not shocked they gave it to them but it is very, very close. What is not close is that 3rd and 1 call, there's no way that was a 1st down, not even close. Unlike the TD call, that one wasn't debatable at all.

The officials may have blown the call,I can't tell.But if the Raven's defense is so good,why did they let the Steeler's twenty fourth rated offense drive ninety two yards when the game was on the line?

The officials may have blown the call,I can't tell.But if the Raven's defense is so good,why did they let the Steeler's twenty fourth rated offense drive ninety two yards when the game was on the line?

I have never posted a comment on this space in my life. the officials may have missed the call,I can't tell. But if the Raven's defense is so good,than why did they let the 24th rated offense drive 92 yards when the game was on the line?

Bad calls are part of the game, I guess, and who knows what would have happened on 4th down or in OT? Forget all that. Looking back, the real game breaker was Hines Ward. I HATE that guy, but he is truly clutch. He had two huge plays on the last drive.

Oh my gosh the crying and whining here!
First, it was a heckuva game! Bad calls were made against BOTH teams, and the Birds were in the Red zone how many times and didn't punch it in? Who called the early prevent defense when they should have been aggressively going after the opposing QB? The Ravens had their chances and didn't capitalize on them, plain and simple. As for the bad calls, it was a hard call to make at the end, but maybe the ref went by the overhead shot that showed the ball touching the line? As for the first down call, all the shots showing he didn't make it were from angles, the one directly from the side made it much, much closer and showed he might have made it. So cut the refs some slack, they're making calls for pro's that are moving waaaay faster than the average person. Next time, let's have this awesome D not even give them a chance to have a close call! The Ravens D is a damn great defense and I think they have a heckuva good shot to win out and do well in the play-offs. Play for the entire 60 minutes and don't let the outcome be decided on a single play or two, simple as that. Dominate and there is no question!

The Ravens lost that game as soon as they went into thier "prevent defense'! What does a "prevent defense" prevent? And you certainly don't use it if all the other team needs is a FG to tie!! The Ravens had the steelers bottled up for 58 min. then suddenly they had receivers wide open all over the field!! They GAVE that game away! No, Flacco didn't cash in on several oppertunities, but they had the game won for 58 min.! When you play to "not lose" you usually lose!

Peter,
Please read what you wrote in your intro..."camera angle seems to show the tip of the ball slightly touching the front of it" and "Maybe the decision was ultimately correct, but that's not really the point"...I think that is the point; to get the right call-and even if there are 20 cameras that don't show it, and one that does, that is still enough to overturn. Move on - please.

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Pete's reply: No, I won't move on. It's not about finding the one camera angle that works for you. The fact that all the others didn't means that it wasn't conclusive. Cmon, everybody knows the referees screwed up. Even the NFL, in saying they made the right decision, conceded they interpreted the rule incorrectly.

I can't believe so many Informed people like players, coaches and sports writers don't know the rules. It has nothing to do with "was it conclusive that the ball crossed the line". A touchdown is ruled ANY TIME a receiver 1) Has possession of the ball with 2) BOTH feet in the end zone. EVERY replay proved this. It didn't matter where the ball was.

Think about catches receivers make near pylons. The ball is neither in bounds nor necessarily even past the line. HOWEVER, if both feet are in the endzone, AND the receiver has possession - TOUCHDOWN.

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Pete's reply: Not a good time to be condescending, since you are 100 percent wrong and the NFL confirmed that today. The out-of-bounds and back-of-the-end-zone rules do not apply to the front of the end zone. The ball must break the plane. Maybe it did, but theofficials sure made a mess of things.

If you look at the replay, the official making the touchdown call was screened by a Baltimore player, he put his head behind the goal line, therefore to him it looked to him like the ball didn't break the plane. If he has the straight line viiew or moves his head in front of the goal line he would have signaled touchdown.

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Pete's reply: If that's true, he should have deferred to someone else. I saw all the replays. None are particularly conclusive either way. The call on the field should have stood. I think the Steelers win anyway, but the officials made a big mess of things and that's regrettable no matter how it turned out.

You don't hang a loss on the play of a rookie QB. The steelers drove 92 yards without our D laying a hand or their QB. Nuff said!

I love the city of Baltimore but all week everyone was saying that the Ravens defense was the best or close to it in the NFL... The point is, they allowed the Steelers to drive 92 yards... 92!!! This was made out to be the biggest game in Ravens history and a team who's defined by there defense only 3 mins. left in the game to go 92 yards!!! Blame the replay guy all you want but they allowed Big Ben to work his magic for 92 yards... Happy Holidays

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Pete's reply: It was a team loss. If the offense had stayed on the field for a few more first downs, it might have been a different story.

As a Steeler fan I just sent Mike Preston a message that his take on the game was spot on and the Ravens are one helluva team. It saddens me, therefore, to find lunatics trying to hide Raven deficiencies behind obscure rules interpretations. One either buys into instant replay or is willing to accept dubious decisions in both directions. Trust me, fans on both sides of the ball can cite chapter and verse where we've both felt shafted by the refs. Of course the NFL upheld the reversal as being correct. They had no other choice. BUT, would it have made a difference? Push came to shove the Steelers did what they had to do to get into that position. Are you Ravens fans willing to admit that or will you continue in denial? Sorry but I hope your team doesn't make the playoffs. The thought of facing that defense three times in one season would not be good for an already repaired 82 yr heart.

I have a 50' hd plasma and DVR and the football was across the goal line for 10 frames of slomo. Great call!

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Pete's reply: Yeah, right. The fact that all the other camera angles don't show that means that its not conclusive so you can't overturn the call on the field.

I am a Steelers fan that bartends in a Bengals/Browns bar, and I was the first to admit that Santonio did not make it to the endzone. It is a shame that officials decide games. Two things though. Watch the game, James Harrison was held on every play. Literally every play. As Steelers fans, we've come to accept the fact that our linebackers will be held every play. They are just too good. I am sure Raven's fans can relate. Also, the year the Raven's won the Super Bowl, you know, 15-1 with one loss to the Steelers, we received THREE letters from the NFL saying officials cost us games. Not blown calls, cost us games. We should have been 10-6 and at least given you your only competition in the playoffs. Not saying we would have won, the Ravens were phenomenal that year, but we could have at least made it interesting.

Much respect for the best division in football.