Referee explains call on Collie hit
The Philadelphia Daily News - Eagletarian
Referee explains call on Collie hit
Daily News staff
UPDATED:
Referee Carl Cheffers issued a statement after the game to explain the ruling on the penalty on Kurt Coleman, although it was announced as being on Quintin Mikell.
“The fact of the matter is that the ball was incomplete,” Cheffers said. “So he has protection throughout that entire process on that play because we don’t have a completion. At no time did he have possession and become a runner to where he would have transitioned out of being a defenseless receiver.”
Colts coach Jim Caldwell said that Collie lost consciousness after the impact.
“I think the official made the proper call,” Caldwell said.
EARLIER:
Eagles coach Andy Reid congratulated his team on a victory over the Colts, but declined to get too deeply into the officiating for fear of discipline from the league.
Reid was asked a series of questions about the penalty called on the play that saw Austin Collie taken off the field on a stretcher. The Colts said Collie has a concussion.
“I’m torn. That is one of my ex-teammate’s sons. I’ve known that kid for a long time. I have to evaluate exactly what took place. I saw the replay board, it was close.”
"The way the game is today, close things are going to be called in a safe direction. When you’re in the heat of it, do you like it? No. For the longevity of the player down the road and life after football, it’s a good thing. Bottom line, things like that are called against you, you have to regenerate your energy level and keep battling through. Don’t think the whole world is against you.
"It looked like a bang-bang thing ... I’m not going to say it is what it is and that’s all I’m going to say."
Asked about the impact of the call afterwards: "It’s hard to evaluate that. I know it didn’t in the long haul and that’s what I care about."
On impact of DeSean Jackson’s return: “I don’t want to take anything away from the other guys. You want to have all your good players in there. DeSean has been a very good player there for us in the punt game, the return game and on the field as a receiver.”
On whether this was a statement game: “I’m not sure about that. We have a lot of games left. Next week will be an important game too. They’re all important as we get through the second half there."
On what he said at halftime:. "They’ve heard it all. They know what's happened in the past. One of the things we looked at as a staff during the bye week is everyobody challenging themselves, the players and the coaches to make sure we maintain the intensity through the four quarters. Challenge each other to step up and make a play and the guys did that down the stretch. We knew against a good football team like that and an explosive team, they have to maintain their intensity and that they had to step up and make plays."
Vote: Eagles' Midterm Report
Comment removed.
What intensity! Heart was pumping. It was finally good to see Big Red get updet with refs. Usually pretty mild; but very vocal and upset today. Time to take down Donovan!— chaseu007- Nice win, Eagles. Based on what we saw from the Colts' D, which played decently, I'm not sure the Eagles win this game if Kolb (whom I like, BTW) is starting. Barring injury, this is Vick's job for the rest of the season, and I think this might be the game that gets him a long-term deal here.— andrewfrombrooklyn
- "disciplien" Don't these guys read their stuff before hitting send? I do and the Inkie ain't paying me. We're talking about 7 frickin paragraphs.— TripleCap
- I'll say what Andy was dying to say after the game. The refs did everything they could to give the game to the Colts. They were brutal.— power808
- Comment removed.
- It blows me away when these writers don't even utilize spell check, which seems to happen often.— Green46
- Eagles 26, Colts 3, NFL officiating crew 21, enough said.— realtruth
- So Coleman did apparently do a helmet to helmet hit on Collie. That obscures a host of other blown calls including an incidental tap to the head of Manning by Trent Cole, and a "running into the Kicker" call that kept a Colts' drive alive. The League needs to get real and do something substantive like requiring safer gear, and stop punishing hard, legal hits in a contact sport. As it stands now the NFL is a bunch of hypocrites who are backpedaling to such an extent they'll rob the sport of its innate violence, which is what fills the stands and pads the TV ratings every week. Fines to make the public think they're actually concerned about concussions, etc. It's just horses**t, and obvious.— rad205
- So Coleman did apparently do a helmet to helmet hit on Collie. That obscures a host of other blown calls including an incidental tap to the head of Manning by Trent Cole, and a "running into the Kicker" call that kept a Colts' drive alive. The League needs to get real and do something substantive like requiring safer gear, and stop punishing hard, legal hits in a contact sport. As it stands now the NFL is a bunch of hypocrites who are backpedaling to such an extent they'll rob the sport of its innate violence, which is what fills the stands and pads the TV ratings every week. Fines to make the public think they're actually concerned about concussions, etc. It's just horses**t, and obvious.— rad205
- So Coleman did apparently do a helmet to helmet hit on Collie. That obscures a host of other blown calls including an incidental tap to the head of Manning by Trent Cole, and a "running into the Kicker" call that kept a Colts' drive alive. The League needs to get real and do something substantive like requiring safer gear, and stop punishing hard, legal hits in a contact sport. As it stands now the NFL is a bunch of hypocrites who are backpedaling to such an extent they'll rob the sport of its innate violence, which is what fills the stands and pads the TV ratings every week. Fines to make the public think they're actually concerned about concussions, etc. It's just horses**t, and obvious.— rad205
- Easily the worst officiating since the Steelers were given the SB a few years back. Some of the calls were awful. Bottom line - if the Birds score TD's instead of FG, none of the zebras make a difference. Good win...if they stay healthy it's playoff time...— ziggy
- Seriously, the Eagles played two teams today, the Colts and The Regs. Nuff said.— Bonzy22
- That said, SOMEBODY better steal the red flag from AR...or stuff it someplace he can't pull it from in front of the cameras. Every game he seems to do something to prove he's a lousy game=day coach. Am I right?— rad205
- That said, SOMEBODY better steal the red flag from AR...or stuff it someplace he can't pull it from in front of the cameras. Every game he seems to do something to prove he's a lousy game=day coach. Am I right?— rad205
- That said, SOMEBODY better steal the red flag from AR...or stuff it someplace he can't pull it from in front of the cameras. Every game he seems to do something to prove he's a lousy game=day coach. Am I right?— rad205
- I still can't get that image of Andy competing as a teenager in the Punt, Pass, and Kick contest. He was a giant among boys.— Ron C.
- @rad205, In defense of "Baby Hughie" he had legit reasons to throw the red flags today but we were playing against one of the leagues favorites so they were among the 20+ calls that went against us.— realtruth
- @rad205: Andy only has a limited look at the replay's before making the challenge decision. He has personnel in the booth tell him whether or not they think they should challenge....blame goes everywhere on that one. And the Avant play was very close, I would have challenged that.— Omorales510
- Ron C : You're right. He must have been into cheese steaks back then too! He was giant kid.— bossrjc
- Football is for little kids, not grown men.— incog69
- Do you have a stuttering problem rad205?— craig123
- The hit was legal even in the current flag football league the NFL wants to become. He caught the ball. Took two steps with possession, then got hit hard and clean with players leading with the shoulder. Should have been a fumble and no penalty.— hawk18
- Boy the Cowboys are pathetic.— bossrjc
- So if that's the case, then if they'd challenged and it was ruled a fumble there would have been no penalty?
— Jack Burden - “The fact of the matter is that the ball was incomplete,” Cheffers said. “So he has protection throughout that entire process on that play because we don’t have a completion. At no time did he have possession and become a runner to where he would have transitioned out of being a defenseless receiver.”
So I guess this means that the defense must now allow the receiver to gain possession and hope they can cause a fumble. I know that the league is trying to protect defenseless receivers but to say the receiver must first have possession is a bit ridiculous. Does this mean if a receiver is bobbling the ball that you can't hit him until he stops bobbling it?— demac 
Love that SUBMIT button dontcha Rad205?
Love that SUBMIT button dontcha Rad205?
Love that SUBMIT button dontcha Rad205?
I'm sorry, that might be Katharine Hepburn- The Eagles won the game against two opponents today, the Colts and the Refs. I hope the team files a complaint with the league office. Getting as bad as baseball with the umpires controlling the game outcome.— benjluc
- @ hawk18: exactly. Not only did he catch the ball and take two steps, he also crouched down TO DEFEND HIMSELF. Officiating in the rest of the game was awful too but they held on and pulled it out. Great showing by the defense, I didn't know they had it in them.
- Andy should blast the refs and take the fine. It's a darn shame such a wonderful win by the Eagles is marred by the atrocious calls. Even his post game explanation is wrong. I hope the league will follow up and the Inquirer and Daily News will let us know what the league says about today's officials. Worst ever.
- The refs were terrible and it seemed Indy got every break. Collie had possession, no doubt. These refs shouldn't ref Pop Warner football.
- I know the kid got hurt, butthat's football, that was the worst call i've ever seen in my 40 years of watching football. The reciever had the ball, the d ack hit him with his shoulder, didn't launch didn't hit him in the head, the impact pushed him into the othew reciever, who had a helmet to helmet contact. How in the bleepty bleep is that a penalty, the ref also said he never had the bal,that's a out,out LIE, HE DID CATCH THE BALL AND WAS RUNNING WITH IT, ref's suc, and so does the nfl, football is becoming boring.— gmoses48
- How can they call a penalty on Patterson when the colt receiver ran into him on a double move to the side line? Patterson was just standing there. And the second replay clearly showed the colt punter was never touched which means the punter should have been called for faking getting hit. Of course, i could go on and on but won't.— macadittles
- How can they call a penalty on Patterson when the colt receiver ran into him on a double move to the side line? Patterson was just standing there. And the second replay clearly showed the colt punter was never touched which means the punter should have been called for faking getting hit. Of course, i could go on and on but won't.— macadittles
- At least this guy explained himself. More than I can say for most MLB umpires.— juliusman3
