Official says refs missed call on low Favre hit
Mike Pereira, the NFL’s vice president of officiating, admitted on the NFL Network’s “Total Access” show this week that referee Pete Morelli’s crew should have called a 15-yard penalty against the New Orleans Saints in the third quarter of the NFC title game Sunday when Vikings quarterback Brett Favre absorbed a low hit from defensive end Bobby McCray.
Favre was hit low by McCray and high by nose tackle Remi Ayodele and injured his left ankle on the play. His pass was intercepted by linebacker Jonathan Vilma. New Orleans took over at its own 31 with the score 21-21 but did not score on the ensuing series.
A penalty would have nullified the interception and given the Vikings the ball at the Saints’ 19. Pereira called it “pretty much a direct shot into the back of (Favre’s) legs,” which isn’t legal because of rules about going after a quarterback’s knees.
On an extended version of the segment on NFL.com, Pereira also discussed wide receiver Devery Henderson’s third-down catch in overtime for the Saints that was upheld on review despite the fact the ball appeared to hit the ground (the question was whether he controlled the ball) and the fourth-down leap by New Orleans running back Pierre Thomas that was reviewed, with the first-down ruling being upheld.
The spot was important, but so was the subject of whether the ball came loose when linebacker Chad Greenway’s helmet hit it. If the ball was clearly knocked out on the first contact with the helmet, Pereira said the forward progress point would have been at the first point that Thomas regained possession.
Said Pereira: “It was kind of one of those, ‘Did he lose possession?’ It’s hard to say. ‘Was he short of the line to gain?’ Equally hard to say.”
One play Pereira did not discuss was the pass interference on Vikings linebacker Ben Leber that moved the ball to the Vikings 29 in overtime and got the Saints in position to kick the winning field goal. Leber was still upset about that call Monday in large part because the pass for tight end David Thomas did not appear to be catchable.
Asked about the penalty on Thursday, league spokesman Greg Aiello said in an e-mail that the league clearly supported the judgment call of the official.
Wrote Aiello: “If the defender steps on the foot of a receiver while not playing the ball, the rule is that it is pass interference. Tangled feet with the defensive player not playing the ball is a foul by rule.”
Whether the ball is catchable is a judgment call.
Feb 9, 2010 at 1:27 p.m.
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im a packer fan and im way over it!!! rodgers has been amazing and i prefer him over douche bag any day. cheap shot or not i enjoyed seeing it!
Feb 4, 2010 at 5:35 p.m.
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NFL officials are HORRIBLE. They just do it as a part time job, mostly for publicity, and or an ego trip. Most are corporate executives, or big shots at huge law firms. It's just a big pay off by the NFL league office to assign them as a ref. They blow calls CONSTANTLY, and it has become worse and worse after the TOTAL SHAM of instant replay was implemented, that they now overly rely on while they are star struck watching the players on the field. If the NFL had a system like MLB where you worked your way up through the ranks on merit, and actually did the job as your profession, things would be much much better. The refs you have in the major conferences of college football are FAR better then the NFL baffons.
Feb 4, 2010 at 5:30 p.m.
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By "yourselves" above, I meant Favre and the like, not any of you/us =p
Favre your Old is showing!
Feb 4, 2010 at 5:28 p.m.
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O no! A call that didn't get called!? That must be the first time in sports history that's happened. Seriously, you're just making yourselves look terrible. No one likes a sore loser.
Jan 31, 2010 at 6:30 p.m.
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McCray most definitely should be fined, if not suspended for a game or two.
I think eagle is right. QBs are protected way more than the other skill positions. Look at Brady! Breathe on the guy and its a penalty. Nasty cheap shot on a QB like Mark Sanchez with nobody else around but a referee and its not a penalty.
Jan 30, 2010 at 9:52 a.m.
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I just read that McCray is being fined $20,000 for the illegal hit on Favre.
Jan 29, 2010 at 11:01 p.m.
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Badgerlvr - Um. I'm a she. And that's Dr. Spunkmeyer to you. ;)
Jan 29, 2010 at 7:50 p.m.
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eagledad: QBs a protected species, I think not. Look at Warner and favre taking violent cheap and in Favre's case an illegal hits with no call. Why bring it up, how about so we don't have a repeat for the Superbowl. You stated it is "a game of contact played by 22 players, no exceptions" How about no exceptions and enforce illegal and cheap shots for everyone not just the QB.
McCray and the saints play a cowardly style of defense. "We can't beat them so lets just take-out the QB Hopefully the officials will be watching this since Gregg Williams and his thugs called the Saints Defense are already talking about giving Manning "remember me" hits and conjure up a way to injure Manning. This is a bigger issue than Favre being a part of this and more about scum like McCray being punished on the spot in the form of ejection from the game, a suspension next year, and then a fine. Make an attempt to play within the rules and at least call the game by the rules, or closer than they are now.
Jan 29, 2010 at 5:45 p.m.
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Are QB's becoming a protected species in football? To me it seems to be, especially if it a high profile QB. Football is a game of contact for 22 players, no exceptions. It is played by and officiated by HUMANS. To fine a player almost a week after a game is absurd. It makes the officiating crew look inept. I guess maybe some time in the future, post game review may reverse the outcome of a game.
Jan 29, 2010 at 1:14 p.m.
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DiGriz-too funny!
Jan 29, 2010 at 1:08 p.m.
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McCray was also the player who took the very cheap, but legal, blindside hit on Warner, too. Now the Saints are popping off about going after Manning with "remember me" hits. I suspect the refs will be watching very closely a week from Sunday.
The NFL may still fine McCray. Bertrand Berry of the Cardinals was fined for his helmet to helmet hit on Rodgers even though the refs missed that call.
Jan 29, 2010 at 12:53 p.m.
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Also, it should be noted that the New York papers were blasting the refs on the below-the-knee hit immediately after the game. This is important to the discussion because those papers tended to criticize Favre all season. In summary, it was a disgusting hit and McCray should be fined.
Jan 29, 2010 at 12:49 p.m.
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RetiredAirForce: I agree with your posting but want to add one footnote: The behind-the-knee hit on Favre is considered illegal because it can cause very serious physical harm (to the point of being career-ending) to a quarterback. I want to know why the NFL has not fined Saints player, McCray, for the hit. Is it because the penalty was never called?
Jan 29, 2010 at 12:47 p.m.
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RetiredAirForce: I agree with you. Spunkmeyer seems to think that anytime someone makes a Favre observation, it's a scorned Packer fan. He obviously "thinks" he's an expert in psychology.
Jan 29, 2010 at 12:29 p.m.
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Poor Favre...NOT
Jan 29, 2010 at 12:29 p.m.
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There are missed calls every game. One highlighted by a sports reporter that covers the Vikings is no more meaningful than a missed call against the Vikings...can't live by could-have-been's or if's.
Jan 29, 2010 at 12:15 p.m.
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Maybe the referee was undecided if he should call it, kinda like Brent and retirement.
Jan 29, 2010 at 11:56 a.m.
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How are Favre's days behind him? He had his best season ever. Oh nevermind. A scorned Packer fan can't be objective.
Jan 29, 2010 at 11:40 a.m.
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This low hit rule was instituted because of a similar hit that put Tom Brady out for the season in 2008.
Jan 29, 2010 at 11:18 a.m.
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Okay, so the ref's blew it. Get over it. Favre's days are behind him. Time to get in the booth.
Jan 29, 2010 at 8:32 a.m.
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.....but the facemask on Rodgers wasn't a penalty....yeah....
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