Jim Harbaugh (AP)
NO MISSED CALL: Niners coach Jim Harbaugh (top) was looking for the refs to throw a flag on Jimmy Smith for holding Michael Crabtree (below) in the end zone on San Francisco’s final play of Super Bowl XLVII. Fox’s NFL rules analyst Mike Pereira said the refs made the right call. (AP; Getty Images)
Jerome Boger was making his first appearance as referee in the Super Bowl and some, including anonymous officials, questioned his qualifications for working this game.
But I’m happy to say Boger and his crew did a commendable job.
It was a relatively penalty-free game (49ers had five, Ravens had two), and while there are always a few plays in question, the biggest play that had 49ers fans screaming came late in the game.
Here was the situation: The 49ers had the ball, fourth-and-goal from the Baltimore 5-yard line with 1:50 left in the game. Baltimore led, 34-29.
Colin Kaepernick lofted a pass to Michael Crabtree, who was being guarded by Jimmy Smith. Both players were hand fighting and when you look at this play in real time, there’s not enough to call pass interference against either player. Smith had a quick grab and Crabtree had a quick push-off. Smith went down on the play and the pass fell incomplete.
Crabtree never complained and it’s the type of play where a flag thrown against either team would have, in my mind, created more controversy than a decision not to throw the flag.
By the way, it couldn’t be defensive holding because the pass was in the air when the contact occurred. It’s either offensive pass interference or defensive pass interference.
It was not an obvious foul and until I looked at it in slow motion, it seemed like no foul at all. It’s not a penalty I would want called if I were still vice president of officiating for the NFL.
Super Bowl XLVII was one of the more chippy Super Bowls I’ve seen in a long time. In many ways, it seems to be an extension of what we saw beginning in Week 1 with the replacement officials.
The lack of control we saw the first three weeks of the season was hard to reel in once the regular officials resumed their roles. I have to think the NFL can’t be happy with all of the late shoving and the in-your-face mouthiness. It seems to have become the rule, not the exception.
It was most apparent in a fray that occurred around the 7-minute mark of the second quarter after Baltimore’s Ed Reed picked off a Kaepernick pass.
A melee nearly broke out and personal fouls were called on both teams. Actually, Baltimore defender Cary Williams should have been ejected for shoving an official.
This whole episode was preceded by a bunch of verbal taunting between both teams. The officials were doing their best to get between players and get it stopped without throwing flags, but it eventually turned into a major skirmish.
I think it’s safe to say the competition committee will look at this in the offseason and issue a point of emphasis regarding taunting and dead-ball pushing and shoving. Look for a lot of early fouls called for unsportsmanlike conduct next season.
Mike Pereira is Fox’s NFL rules analyst