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**MadMark** · 01-16-2006, 06:45 PM

NFL says ref's decision on apparent interception was judgment call

Last update: January 16, 2006 – 11:38 AM

NEW YORK — Referee Pete Morelli's decision to overturn an apparent interception by Pittsburgh's Troy Polamalu late in the Steelers game Sunday in Indianapolis was a judgment call, the NFL said today.

It came with 5:26 left in Pittsburgh's 21-18 win over the Colts.

Polamalu made a diving catch. When he got up to run, he fumbled the ball, then recovered. Colts coach Tony Dungy challenged and Morelli ruled Polamalu had not completed the catch, so it was an incomplete pass.
About a dozen TV and scoreboard replays indicated otherwise.

The Colts kept the ball and went on to score, cutting Pittsburgh's lead to three points in a game that ended with a missed field goal by Indy's Mike Vanderjagt that could have sent it to overtime.

"The issue was whether he had possession. The ball came loose when he was getting up. Pete Morelli determined it wasn't a catch," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said. "That was his judgment."

Aiello added that the league's officiating department had not yet officially reviewed the call to determine if Morelli had made the right decision.
The NFL almost never makes public the result of its reviews, although it did three years ago, when supervisor of officials Mike Pereira said officials should have called pass interference against San Francisco on the final play of a wild-card game with the New York Giants. The correct call would have given New York a second chance to kick a game-winning field goal in a 39-38 loss.

Aiello had no comment on a remark by Pittsburgh's Joey Porter, who said of the Polamalu ruling:

"I know they wanted Indy to win this game; the whole world loves Peyton Manning. But come on, man, don't take the game away from us like that." In the past, players who have made comments like that have been subject to fines.

01-16-2006, 06:45 PM	#1
MadMark Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 491 Senior Member	ref's decision on interception a judgment call NFL says ref's decision on apparent interception was judgment call Last update: January 16, 2006 – 11:38 AM NEW YORK — Referee Pete Morelli's decision to overturn an apparent interception by Pittsburgh's Troy Polamalu late in the Steelers game Sunday in Indianapolis was a judgment call, the NFL said today. It came with 5:26 left in Pittsburgh's 21-18 win over the Colts. Polamalu made a diving catch. When he got up to run, he fumbled the ball, then recovered. Colts coach Tony Dungy challenged and Morelli ruled Polamalu had not completed the catch, so it was an incomplete pass. About a dozen TV and scoreboard replays indicated otherwise. The Colts kept the ball and went on to score, cutting Pittsburgh's lead to three points in a game that ended with a missed field goal by Indy's Mike Vanderjagt that could have sent it to overtime. "The issue was whether he had possession. The ball came loose when he was getting up. Pete Morelli determined it wasn't a catch," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said. "That was his judgment." Aiello added that the league's officiating department had not yet officially reviewed the call to determine if Morelli had made the right decision. The NFL almost never makes public the result of its reviews, although it did three years ago, when supervisor of officials Mike Pereira said officials should have called pass interference against San Francisco on the final play of a wild-card game with the New York Giants. The correct call would have given New York a second chance to kick a game-winning field goal in a 39-38 loss. Aiello had no comment on a remark by Pittsburgh's Joey Porter, who said of the Polamalu ruling: "I know they wanted Indy to win this game; the whole world loves Peyton Manning. But come on, man, don't take the game away from us like that." In the past, players who have made comments like that have been subject to fines.
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