Different strokes for different folks but man I am looking at what happened yesterday from another angle. I don't think I am entirely alone here either based on some posts. And yet again there was one late call that DEFIES description and one other that falls under the bad call category.
Here I am siting at a table sucking down some beers with Luke Kuechly and CM, two players I deeply admire and root for, and I say great game guys I really liked the stats you put up but I was kind of glad your team LOST. And it isn't as if the Saints aren't a caste friendly team. They are like the Falcons your basic run of the mill caste team that do nothing to push against the caste sports world mind set.
Meanwhile the Panthers had white skill players making huge contributions and they are anchored on D by All Pro Kuechly. Putting up nice stats is great and I certainly enjoy players like CM filling up the stat sheet but for these things to make a greater and more important impact a team must win. Winning is the best way to fight the caste cloud and enhances EVERYTHING which is why the Pats win last year was so euphoric. And winning is what sports is all about.
I don't want to get too detailed about the game and even though I have often complained about Newton over the years I thought he played well. I don't think he is to blame for the loss. The DB's of Carolina made a couple of fatal errors along with a pass rush that didn't apply enough pressure. DE Peppers took an ill conceived inside rush where he clearly misread the play leaving Brees a wide open roll out long pass late. That said the D did snuff out the most vaunted rushing attack in the NFL.
But it was two late calls that make you wonder. I don't think the games are fixed but like the Chiefs game there were some completely out of the ordinary calls taking place against the team with the white skill players. Is this the THEME this year? I think the intentional grounding call was bad and at key junctures of the game the refs should keep their flags in their pockets unless it is an over the top infraction. That call sealed their doom.
But it was the earlier call that was downright crazy. All year long I have been watching games being held up by reviews. Heck at times it seems as though they are checking for hang nails. And especially under the two minute mark where they go over EVERYTHING with a fine tooth comb. So why didn't the refs and or the monitor dudes in NYC pick up on the fact that the Carolina DB who intercepted the ball didn't actually make a full catch? They didn't review the play which totally stunned me and the ESPN roundtable at the end of the game. What's the big deal? In the middle of the second quarter it is not the end of the world. But with only two minutes left and I think zero timeouts left it meant having the ball on your own 30, which is where they placed the ball, or having the ball at midfield. That is a crucial 20 yard difference as the clock is winding down and you are driving for the winning score.
One final note, CM outperformed all the other more heralded rookies ( Fournette, Hunt and Kamara) in the playoffs. It is a bloody shame he didn't get a chance to make one more heroic play at the end of the game. And continue onward through the playoffs. He can't make splash plays if his team is eliminated.
The early game I agree with the posts above that the media is taking the WINNING QB to the woodshed. The bottom line is Bortles outplayed media hero Taylor.
