At the risk of sounding bitter...

[Brother Brian]

The Indy - Patriots game is a perfect example of referees ruining a great game.

From the 8 separate obvious holding calls that the refs missed, to the mugging on Caldwell in the end zone that doesn't get called, to the "touching the passer" call at the end, it seemed apparent to me from the get go that the refs were buying into the "great story" that was Manning finally overcoming the Patriots.

It was a great, exciting game, and much credit to Manning for finally giving himself a Heimlich and stopping the choking. Normally, once down 21-3 Manning throws 8 picks, but he pulled himself together tonight.

[Detritus]

I don't know if you sound bitter, but you do bear a fair resemblance to the Colts' fans who moaned about the Pats manhandling their receivers a few years back. The Pats had plenty of chances in this one. They probably could've ended the game early if they just would have punched in one more score when it was 21-3 in their favor and they had the ball in Colts' territory again in the 2nd quarter, for instance.

[Starhawk]

You have GOT to be joking. Hands to the head on the QB is a penalty. It has been all season. That doesn't change in the playoffs.

I do admit there were a couple of non-calls that could have been interference on Indy -- but if you want to be a homer about it, I spotted just as many non-calls where the Patriots were once again mugging our receivers (see: replay of Dallas Clark's arm being tied up on an incompletion in the end zone). I thought the referees called it pretty sparsely all things considered and were mostly even.

Suck it up for a change, and welcome to the off-season.

:spring_blau: <--Happy Colts fan.

[Wook]

Yeah all this "the refs are interfering in the game" crap is just that. The refs are doing their job and they dozens of judgement calls and non calls every game. I'm sure if you wanted to you could create a laundry list of who did what and when to make it all sound like they were horrible but honestly very few games are decided by them.

[Brother Brian]

While it certainly wasn't the first graze to the head I've seen called, I've seen just as many let go when there was no solid contact.

My problem is that the refs were picking incredibly interesting times to get involved in the game.

I'm not saying that if the refs are different that the Patriots win. I'm saying that the officials really interfered with my enjoyment of the game by what I see as abject incompetents.