Referees were worse than we thought in Sunday’s Dolphins’ loss
The Dolphins this weekend were on the short end of the stick of at least three terrible officiating decisions that undoubtedly helped cost them the game. A game which New England had just a 4% chance of winning early in the third quarter, according to ESPN statisticians.
The first blown call was a third down, 21 yard pass interference that gave New England field goal range late in the first half. Without this incomprehensible decision, New England goes into halftime scoreless without having even crossed midfield. The Patriots converted a field goal which helped them go into the half down 17-3.
Some Patriots supporters will attempt to refute the idea that they were helped by officials by pointing out that a Nate Solder holding penalty wiped out a Gronkowski touchdown late in the third quarter, but even Patriots Football Weekly’s Erik Salvino said it was a legitimate call.
Also, the aforementioned play came right after New England converted a 3rd and 5 from the Miami 35 yard line thanks to an inexistent defensive holding call against Dimitri Patterson. The Patriots converted a 48 yard field goal to go up 20-17. It would have been a 53 yard try.
The most hotly debated play of the game came in the fourth quarter came with the score still 20-17. Tom Brady is sacked at the Miami 30 yard line by Jimmy Wilson forcing a fumble that bounced back fourteen yards after being touched by Olivier Vernon before Nate Solder could recover it at the Miami 45. (continued on page 2, CLICK HERE)