Kevin Hench documents the Broncos' 17 gift points

[pats1]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/5251620

This was particularly galling for Patriots fans, who just one night earlier had seen their team's fortunes turn on the worst pass interference call in the NFL playoffs since Benny Barnes was flagged in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XIII.

The Pats led 3-0 when Jake Plummer threw deep from the New England 40 for Ashley Lelie. Asante Samuel, who had already picked off Plummer, was running stride for stride with Lelie. He turned his head back as he ran and maintained perfect position. As the ball came down, Lelie put his right hand on Samuel's shoulder pad and tugged, pulling the smaller defender into him. Still, Samuel kept his feet as the ball landed harmlessly in the end zone seven yards beyond the players. The official right on top of the play correctly called nothing.

A thousand one.

A thousand two.

A thousand three.

And then from out of nowhere a flag flies into the frame. The officials confer and one seems to be trying to talk the other out of making a terrible mistake. But, alas, he can't. The yellow has been thrown — obviously in error — and instead of rectifying the mistake, the officials basically award the Broncos the game's first touchdown by giving them first-and-goal at the one.

From where the flag came from, I assumed it was thrown by the back judge, a suspicion confirmed by CBS analyst Phil Simms. So I would like to ask Greg Sneed what he saw or thought he saw that would make him so confident in his call that he would be willing to give a team seven points in a 3-0 game. Why, Greg Sneed, why?

And if you were so confident in your call, Greg Sneed, what took you so long to throw the flag?

Now Greg Sneed was allowed to wriggle off the hook by the unprecedented implosion of Patriot ol' reliables Kevin Faulk, Troy Brown, Adam Vinatieri and, yes, Tom Brady. But Greg Sneed still has some explaining to do. (If for some reason, it was not back judge Greg Sneed who made that awful call, please e-mail me so I can vilify the proper incompetent official.)

Greg Sneed, referee Jeff Triplette — the man who nearly blinded Orlando Brown — and all five members of their crew then missed a false start by George Foster on Jason Elam's 50-yard field goal that barely cleared the crossbar. So, yes, the Broncos' first 10 points all game gift-wrapped by a dreadful officiating crew.

Later, Champ Bailey would be popped by Benjamin Watson on an interception return and fumble inside the one-yard line. The officials — no doubt winded by the length of the field sprint — ruled that Bailey's fumble had gone straight sideways and awarded the Broncos the ball at the spot of the fumble. But that's not what happened. The ball appeared to go forward, ending up out of bounds several yards beyond the goal line. Up in the booth, Simms had it right. Triplette, Simms said, needed to trace a line from where the ball landed out of bounds back to where the ball had left Bailey's hands. Had he done this, he would have discovered that it simply had to cross the goal-line either inside the pylon or directly over the pylon. Both would have resulted in a touchback and New England's ball at the 20. But I guess Triplette had his own magic bullet theory where the ball followed an L-shaped path — around the outside of the pylon — before landing. The non-reversal made it 17 points wrongly awarded to the Broncos by poor officiating.

Asante Samuel was on the wrong end of one of the worst calls in playoff history. (Doug Pensinger / Getty Images)

[bronco610]

the refs didnt make the pats turn the ball over 5 times.

[Needa Pass Rush]

Lol Lol Lol Lol

Keep reading the press Pats. They are as wrong this week as they were last week. It won't change the fact that your boys got smacked at a mile high, either.

[South Stands]

Originally Posted by pats1

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/5251620





Asante Samuel was on the wrong end of one of the worst calls in playoff history. (Doug Pensinger / Getty Images)

[The Big E]

This is hilarious and I couldn't care less. I hope it makes the clam chowder go down a little easier this week for those poor little guys.

[Garcia Bronco]

LMAO...you've been tucked.

[Rocket 7]

.

[Jens1893]

I cant believe the guy gets paid to write such articles.

[terry251973]

That guy thinks the pats giving us 17 points is bad what about the 100+ we gave to them superbowl winners in them first 3 superbowls with elway.This is rediculous making excuses.OK give the pats the win saturday and give us them 3 superbowl wins and ill be happy.

[Needa Pass Rush]

I call Bush it.

[Taco John]

Originally Posted by Garcia Bronco

LMAO...you've been tucked.

That's great stuff right there!

[Tombstone RJ]

Yep, it was all the refs. Hell, the Broncos were just lucky to be there...

[Hercules Rockefeller]

Well thank God one of the writers for Adam Corolla have come to the rescue for Pats fans. I'm sure next we'll get a link for some chowda heads call into WEEI to let us know what he thought about the game after he went back and watched it because of TiVO.

[Bronx33]

Answer this why didn't the vaunted patty D stop the broncos run? i have been hearin all week about it and when it came time to hang pork they can't stop anderson from running one fricken yard!




The lord give-ith the lord take-ith........

[Jens1893]

Have you ever heard of the word "goalline stand"? We scored both those "gifted" touchdowns on our first play from the 1 yard line. Maybe it would have helped if you D had stepped up like ours did and held us to 3 points or caused turnovers. Just an idea.

[Clockwork Orange]

Tell the Pats to cry to the league and see if they can get some rules changed.

[Rock Chalk]

Feeding of trolls strictly prohibited.

~Management.

[terry251973]

I got a better idea how the pats couldve did better than stopping denver from running 1 yard.How about that dumbfck called brady not throwing a ball toward champ.I suppose champ interfered with brown to pick the ball off right.

[Antilles]

Originally Posted by Hercules Rockefeller

Well thank God one of the writers for Adam Corolla have come to the rescue for Pats fans. I'm sure next we'll get a link for some chowda heads call into WEEI to let us know what he thought about the game after he went back and watched it because of TiVO.

Hench is one of the Sports Guy's Boston buddies. SHOCKING that he would write an article like this...

[ludo21]

The ref threw the flag right on time IMO.

He didnt throw it early ASSUMING their would be a PI like many times hapen. He waited till the play was over to watch Asantes head never turn for the ball.

You CANT run a WR off his route, dont try and justify it Pat fans!

[The Big E]

Originally Posted by Alec

Feeding of trolls strictly prohibited.

~Management.

Is it okay if we just laugh at them?

[halfcreek]

Samuel tugged on his arm as well. Pats get hit with the Tug Rule.

[24champ]

Originally Posted by Garcia Bronco

LMAO...you've been tucked.

[Garcia Bronco]

I've been excited today...but now...I'm all tuckered out.

[minibronco]

Ok. They made a few bad calls. So what? Are we going to re-play this game? Re-kick off? Re-throw that pass? Do you want money as compensation? What about a hug? A kiss? A pat on the back? What about an official apology? What is that going to get you? What about some replica championship rings? A call from President Bush? A raise? The friggin' game is already over. It was over two days ago. Do you have a problem?