Refs Hand Game to Cowboys; Officiating Partial?

“The pass interference play that wasn’t.” —Bryant Gumbel 

No neutral viewer (which I was in this game) could go away from this game thinking both teams got an even shake. Call after call went against the Carolina Panthers, who would have upset Dallas without the apparent complicity of the officials. It was obvious the refs were calling marginal penalties against Carolina while ignoring egregious violations of the rules against the preferred ‘Boys, especially the obvious pass interference, run repeatedly on the NFL Network, that Gumbel and Collingsworth both agreed had to be a penalty and totally reversed the fortunes of the game. 

Even with all the refs did for them, Dallas could only muster a 20-13 victory.

They didn’t earn it. Dallas fans can’t be proud about this one. It was a shameful display by the officials and, for at least one game, put the Cowboys on the same moral low-ground as the New England Patriots. Appropriate, I guess, since the two teams may meet in the Super Bowl. Only something has changed, at least for me. Up till tonight I would have been rooting for Dallas in that game. After tonight’s preferential, shameful display, I’ll have a hard time watching that game, if indeed it does materialize. 

John Fox, you’ve got a right to be angry. The officiating system, in front of the whole world, let you down, and cast doubt upon the integrity of the system.

Cowboys fans, hang your heads.

Brian Westbrook, the NFL’s Most Unselfish Player

With the clock running down to the 2-minute warning in Dallas and the Philadelphia Eagles up 10-6 on the Cowboys, Brian Westbrook broke into the open for a certain touchdown. But he stopped at the one and fell to the ground, hurting his own stats but guaranteeing a win for his team.

The Cowboys were out of timeouts. If Westbrook scores, Dallas has 2 minutes to get 2 scores … a longshot but still a possibility. A quick score, a successful onsides kick, and another score and the Cowboys could actually win. Unlikely, but very possible.

By forgoing his own stats in favor of the team, Westbrook guaranteed a win for the Eagles. Three kneel-downs killed the clock. Westbrook puts himself a cut above the rest of the league, especially all those guys who care most about their own stats. Speaking of that, Terrell Owens had an ineffective game and again had the dropsies, dropping a key pass that could have been a leading TD. (Tony Romo was also ineffective; Jessica Simpson was not a good-luck charm.)

Sports and Ethics awards its first  Sports and Ethics Award of Merit to Brian Westbrook, the NFL’s most unselfish player.

Cowboys Win; T.O. Does Volleyball Impersonation

The Dallas Cowboys (11-1) defeated the Green Bay Packers (10-2), 37-27, last night in Texas, taking a huge advantage in the home-field-advantage race in the NFC. In a game televised only on NFL Network and thus leaving a lot of fans out in the cold and unable to see this marquee match-up, it was also disappointing that Brett Favre was injured early, meaning the NFC match of the season would not be decided by a head-to-head battle of the two QB stars.

But Aaron Rodgers surprised everyone. He actually performed better than Favre had before he left … and gave GB a real chance to win.

Terrell Owens had a great game but did another of his volleyball impersonations, clubbing a sure, short touchdown pass right to him with brick-like hands, and serving the ball gently into the arms of the Packers’ grateful Al Harris. (Shades of the time he did this as a member of the San Francisco 49ers, batting an easy catch to DB Mike Jones early in overtime with the Chicago Bears, which Jones promptly returned for a game-ending TD.)

T.O. also gave away another one that the incompetent refs covered for him on. Al Harris clearly stripped T.O. for an interception . Replay should have been able to reverse this. But we’re back to a blundering ref blowing a whistle at the wrong tim, saying “forward progress was stopped.” No way.

Will Favre return? The Pack may need him to lead them again on this same field in the playoffs.

Give the Devil His Due

(Or is it Dew?)

Tom Brady and the New England Patriots look unbeatable. The Cowboys never really had a chance, though they kept it close. The only real question about the game is … just where is the video camera now?

Game over. Give the Devil his Mountain Dew.

Two Undefeateds Will Remain; Let One Not Be the Cheatriots

With Indy on a bye and the other two undefeateds playing each other, there will be two teams left without losses at the end of the day. That is, of course, except in the unlikely event of a Pats-Dallas tie. Then there would still be three.

Justice would demand a Cowboys victory. The Patriots should have forfeited at least the one game against the Jets. But with an apparently complicitous commissioner, Roger Goodell, who took it easy on the league primadonnas, then destroyed evidence, that didn’t happen.

The Dallas Cowboys are a good, honest team … up against the exposed villains of the league. Every honest football fan not living in Massachusetts should be saying, “Go Cowboys!”

Refs Are at It Again

Can’t blame Dick Jauron and the other coaches who have done it. The refs again forced a kicker to make a second pressure-packed last second kick yesterday at the close of MNF. The game itself was amazing, an incredible comeback by the Cowboys to beat the Bills despite 6 Tony Romo turnovers. But again it was almost overshadowed when a referee failed to signal time-out in time to keep a kicker from kicking. Rookie Nick Folk amazed, booting his second consecutive 53-yard field goal (the first not counting) to win for Dallas.

But, come on, refs, stop the play.

Or change the rule. This is not good for football.

T.O. Still Has the Dropsies

“A perfect pass from Tony Romo” went “right through his hands” forcing a Cowboys punt in the first quarter against the Rams today. T.O. has always had the dropsies. His value, even when he is not in the middle of one of his dysfunctional episodes or rants, is way overestimated. He gives away as much as he contributes. Often, his on-field heroics have been set up by the fact that he played poorly early in the game.

He dropped another one later in the first quarter. I know the Cowboys won. My point is, T.O. is not as valuable as he appears.