Sunday’s Texans-Colts game included various controversial calls. Three of them were addressed by referee Clay Martin in a post-game pool report.
Like most pool reports, it was largely useless. But don’t take my word for it. Here’s what was said to pool reporter Stephen Holder.
First, on the fourth-quarter play where the play clock clearly ran out before the ball was snapped, Martin was asked why a delay of game was not called.
“The back judge is the calling official and there is a process on that,” Martin said. “When the clock hits zero, he looks down to the ball and if the ball is snapped as he looks down from the clock to the ball, we leave that alone. That’s what he ruled on the play.”
It’s not an uncommon situation. The NFL play clock isn’t like an NBA shot clock. There’s no buzzer. The official has to see that the clock has hit zero, to check whether the ball has been snapped. It builds in a second or so of a buffer, which is (for the most part) consistently applied.
Second, on that same play, Colts cornerback Kenny Moore was flagged for pass interference after Texans receiver Xavier Hutchinson seemed to fall down.
Said Martin: “The calling official had an arm grab at the top of the route. When you look back, the ball was in the air, and when you see the ball in the air, that makes it pass interference.”
Not actually. By rule, the contract must “restrict the opponent’s opportunity to make the catch.” Any contact at the top of the route didn’t seem to affect Hutchinson.
Third, Martin was asked about the Texans’ fourth-quarter extra point that seemed to be no good.
“The calling official had the ball above the upright and completely inside the outside edge of the upright and so he ruled a successful try,” Martin said. “Since the ball was above the upright, it’s not reviewable.”
So there it is. Another pool report that largely says nothing we didn’t already know. Rarely if ever is the subject of a pool report going to admit that there was a mistake. It would be far better to have one person who meets with reporters on a weekly basis and answers any/all questions about calls from the prior slate of games.
Read the full article here
