I'd say they got one turned back on them with the play to #30, the ertz play was perfectly called as 3 steps and a runner, broke plane, TD

I was absolutely shocked that TD was upheld. I personally didn't think he maintained possession (ball was rolling around in his forearm as he went out of bounds). Now, if they actually stuck to their own definition of what should be considered "clear and obvious visual evidence", then maybe it wasn't enough to overturn it.

But we've all seen them overturn calls on much, much less.

I was absolutely shocked that TD was upheld. I personally didn't think he maintained possession (ball was rolling around in his forearm as he went out of bounds). Now, if they actually stuck to their own definition of what should be considered "clear and obvious visual evidence", then maybe it wasn't enough to overturn it.

But we've all seen them overturn calls on much, much less.

Roger Goodell wants the rule changed next year.

I think it was clear he ordered Alberto Riveron that under no circumstances could he allow the bad PR on the controversy that would be generated over a reversed TD rear it's ugly head.

So he ordered Riveron to stop looking for miniscule reasons to overturn calls on the field.

I also think the refs...known to be a flag-happy bunch, especially eager to throw DPI flags...were ordered to keep their flags in their pockets.

Thus we got hardly any penalties called and also the rare anomaly of zero holding calls and yet only one sack.

ESPN article has one penalty on the Pats; but there were really two; false start on Gronk and offsides on a Eagles FG that was declined.

8, count em, EIGHT penalties called on NE the entire playoffs. EIGHT that were accepted, declined or offset.

After Sunday’s game, Belichick said it was a football decision, not rooted in discipline.

Here’s what Patricia delivered: “We just played all the guys we could to try to help us win in whatever packages we had. Different situations came up, and we were just trying to move things around . . . He was active for the game and anybody who is active for the game is ready to go. We just had a situation where we had some matchups and packages that we went with.’’

Bull. Crap. Like Belichick, Patricia embarrasses himself and the team with this non-answer of an obvious and important question.

that blog article was spot on. they always get the least calls and the most favorable, but looks like Goodell pressed the scale the other way last night.

What blog article?

And where's the Gasper article that mentions the Riveron Reversal?

What blog article?

And where's the Gasper article that mentions the Riveron Reversal?

Just curious as to how the schadenfreude ranks with you on this one. Here's how I rank them:

1. 2007 vs. Giants - broke up their perfect season
2. 2017 vs. Eagles - defense and BB implode. Talking so much shit about getting to six
3. 2011 vs. Giants - losing to Eli twice. This game Eli made a Brady-like pass to Manningham to get the Giants to victory.

I'll put them in the same order. Great thing in all THREE games, is Patriots gave up a late 4Q TD to lose the game!!

c__________ge said: ↑
If it was disciplinary, Butler wouldn't have been playing in the game at all. But he was playing on special teams. Short of throwing the game on purpose or early-onset dementia, there is no explanation for Bill's behavior.
Butler had ONE SNAP all game. He was on the Wing on the Punt Coverage unit..

That's a player who has been demoted from the starting line-up for whatever reason.

The rumors are starting to pile up. I don't know what, if any are true, but there are now Two Ex-Patriots who have come out mentioning things. They have somewhat corroborated the RobotDave Tweets that we saw..

- Missing Team flight to MN
- Cleaning out his locker at Gillette after team left
- dogging it in practice when he finally did get to MN.
- partying late and missing curfew.
- Caught smoking weed during Room Check.
- Missing Saturday's team meeting. (BTW, BB benched Adalius Thomas for the same thing. Thomas still dressed, but spent the entire game on the sidelines).
- Arguing with coaches on Saturday.

I don't know what is true. Only Butler and the Coaches do. But if he missed Saturday's Team meeting, then that's on him. Especially since it's been a standing rule of BB's.