Clock error helped Patriots beat Steelers

I know the Patriots/Steelers game the past weekend was huge for fans of both teams, so this news has probably made Steelers fans physically sick:

PITTSBURGH (AP) – A clock error added 52 seconds to the fourth quarter of the Patriots-Steelers game Sunday. The extra time aided the Patriots during a winning drive that ended with Adam Vinatieri‘s 43-yard field goal with 1 second remaining.

The Patriots won 23-20, their fourth victory against the Steelers in five games since 2001, including AFC championship game victories during the 2001 and 2004 seasons.

The NFL acknowledged the mistake Monday, with director of officiating Mike Pereira issuing a statement: "The on-field officiating crew, which oversees the official game clock operated in the press box, failed to recognize that the clock was improperly reset."

[…]

The mistake caused the final quarter to last 15 minutes, 52 seconds, extra time that proved invaluable to New England after the Steelers tied it at 20 on Roethlisberger’s 4-yard touchdown pass to Hines Ward with 1:21 remaining.

After New England got the ball at its 38, Tom Brady needed only 31 seconds to complete passes of 17, 14 and 6 yards to set up Vinatieri’s third field goal of the game. Forty-five seconds ran off between the time Brady found David Givens for 6 yards to the Steelers 25 and Vinatieri kicked the decisive field goal.

Steelers president Dan Rooney was unaware of the mistake until being alerted Monday by reporters.

"There’s nothing to say. The game’s over," Rooney said. "It’s not going to change the score."

I think there is something else to say to about this: it sucks!

Bachbone says:

September 27, 2005 at 10:45 pm

For mistakes as blatant as this, rules should be added or rewritten. In this case, the game could be ruled a tie that does not bear on the W-L records of either team, nor on play-off positions. One game in a season can mean, literally, millions of dollars to a franchise, and the team’s city, in play-off and championship monies. While they say penalties tend to even out over a game or season, these major kinds of errors don’t. It’s a clear-cut mistake that should be fixed as much as it can. But I’ll bet nothing will be done. (Can you tell I’m originally from the Pittsburgh area?)

Sister Toldjah says:

September 27, 2005 at 11:53 pm

Those are some great points … I mean, imagine that this was the Super Bowl this happened in. You better believe a court battle would be on the horizon in that instance.

PCD says:

September 28, 2005 at 9:18 am

Sister,

When Instant Replay was added, it was to correct mistakes. It hasn’t. My team, the Packers got robbed of a Defensive Touchdown by bad officiating. The replay showed that Griese fumbled, but the Bucs got to keep the ball because the whistle blew.

I think the refs should get as publically fined as the players do for massive infractions.

Also, where is the outrage for that ref throwing a penalty flag in Al Harris’ face? Didn’t Zeus Brown in Cleveland lose an eye because of refs throwing their flags into player’s faces?

gary says:

September 28, 2005 at 10:20 am

Take out instant replay. ref makes the call and it stands. Period. Just let them play football on the field, players and refs.

The Tinman says:

September 29, 2005 at 8:41 am

Let’s not make a mountain out of a molehill. I’m a HUGE Steelers fan and when I first saw the headline, I got all spun up about it. Then, when I read the story and found that it happened at the beginning of the fourth quarter, I relaxed. There is absolutely NO way you can say those 52 seconds cost the Steelers the game. The playing toward the end would have been so dramatically altered that there is no way you can make a direct coorelation. The Steelers (sob) got out played by the better team (sobs more) that day.

As for giving both a tie and not affecting playoff seedings, etc, you are dead wrong. That could have even greater ramifications. Imagine the Pats being penalized by having to take the tie and finishing 10-5-1 and the Dolphins finishing 11-5 and the Pats beating the Dols in both regular season games. The Dols would win the division when the Pats had really won it.

Errors happen. That’s what makes sports so fun to watch (unless it’s your team doing the error… Ha). All I have to say is Randle El is no longer allowed to watch or try to mimic Burger King commercials!!!