20 reasons the refs' calls didn't matter...
1. The Refs didn't give up the longest run in SB history...Seattle's defense did.
2. The Refs didn't bite on a 43 yd trick play, Randle to Ward for a TD...Seattle's defense did.
3. The Refs didn't allow Ben to scramble around on a 3rd and 28 and complete a long pass to the 2 yd. line...Seattle's defense did.
4. The Refs didn't miss two field goals, that was Seattle.
5. The Refs didn't fail to step out of bounds late in the 1st half to stop the clock in Pitt territory in a crunch time situation...Seattle's offense did.
6. The Refs didn't let the 1st half clock tick down from 48 seconds all the way down to 13 seconds before finally running their next play at Pitt's 36 yd line...Seattle's offense did.
7. And on this play, 3rd down, 53 yds away from a FG, it wasn't the Refs who tried and failed to go deep for a TD rather than a safer 5-7 yd play and timeout setting up a much easier FG attempt....that, again, would be Seattle's offense.
8. The Refs didn't get confused by Pitt's zone defense and throw an INT...that would be Seattle's QB.
9. The Refs didn't let a little physical contact intimidate them from catching 4 very catchable passes...that would be the Seattle TE Jeremy Stevens.
10. With approx. 20 seconds left in the game, knowing they need a TD and FG, in no particular order, and in easy FG range on 4th down, it wasn't the Refs who ignored the FG and elected to throw up a prayer trying for a TD...that AGAIN would be Seattle.
11. The Refs didn't constantly punt deep into the end zone, repeatedly giving Pitt the ball at the 20 yd line...that of course was Seattle.
12. It wasn't the Refs who received a Christmas gift wrapped easy INT lobbed in perfect position to return deep into Pitt territory...the lucky beneficiary of that break would be Seattle.
13. It wasn't the Refs who got a break when a Steeler DB dropped an easy int early in the game...that too would be a break for Seattle.
14. It wasn't the Refs who caught a break when a Steeler WR dropped a very catchable TD pass...that break again would go to Seattle.
15. It wasn't the scapegoat Refs that received a break when a WR caught the ball, turned, stepped, was hit hard enough to cause a fumble, and then ruled INCOMPLETE...that would be of course, another chance for Seattle.
(this was an interesting call considering that after Troy's famous overruled Int, the NFL stated that it WAS a catch. If so, than this definitely WAS a catch)
16. The Refs werent the ones who caught a break when at the conclusion of a 2nd qtr play, as a Pitt DE was walking away, the Seattle Center blindsided the defenseless player, leveling him to the ground. This mysteriously unseen crime was again another break for Seattle.
17. It wasn't the Refs who got a break when Pitt QB Big Ben was blocked in the back as he pursued the DB who he'd tossed an int to...that again would go to Seattle.
18. It wasn't the Refs who stopped Seattle RB Alexander in a few key situations. That would be the Pittsburgh Steelers.
19. It wasn't the Refs who converted many of their 3rd downs yet stopped their opponent on 3rd down often...that would be the Pittsburgh Steelers.
20. And the very bottom line is this...On plays when there wasn't any penalties...One team made plays and one team didn't. The end result was the final score, 21-10 Seattle was outcoached and outplayed.
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