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Tuesday, November 19, 2013
NFL Did the Panthers really win again?
Posted By Jeff Hahne on Tue, Nov 19, 2013 at 4:43 PM
My wife hesitates to ask me for the latest score when the Panthers are playing. I've told her they're winning so many times, only to disappoint her a few minutes later. She's not a diehard fan, but she loves to hear that they're doing well. As a Charlotte native, she feels obligated to pull for the home teams.
She's been happy this season. Instead of months of heartache and heartbreaking last-minute losses, the Panthers have strung together six wins in a row. Sure, they got off to a rocky start, but Carolina sits with a 7-3 overall record. Throughout the season, talk went from "Could they be a wild card in the playoffs?" to "Could they actually make it to the Super Bowl?"
I think it's still too early to tell, but the boys in blue and black are undoubtedly playing some solid football these days. Well, except for the last minutes of Monday night's game against the Patriots.
As my wife sat in bed watching the latest episode of Homeland, I was on the couch watching the final minutes of Monday Night Football. I'd keep her updated from time to time by calling out things like, "Cam just ran 15 yards for a first down!"
- Wikipedia
- Newton during a 2011 game
While the seconds ticked away on the game clock in the fourth quarter, I finally ran to the bedroom to watch the final minutes of the game. Just two days earlier she watched the final moments of the Auburn-Georgia game with me - I went to Auburn - which included the "Immaculate Deflection." So, I figured I should go watch the end of the Panthers game with her, hoping we were about to watch Carolina have a last-minute win of their own.
When Ted Ginn stretched across the goal line to score the go-ahead touchdown with 59 seconds left, she quietly screamed (so as to not wake our daughter), "I can't believe they won again!" I had to quickly bring her back to reality. "Well, the Patriots have Tom Brady and a minute left on the clock," I said. "It's not over yet."
We sat and watched as Brady drove New England down the field and into scoring position. And then it happened. Brady threw a pass for tight end Rob Gronkowski, which was intercepted by the Panthers. A moment of elation, again, ended with me saying, "There's a flag on the field." My wife stared at me. "So?" I had to tell her that a game can't end on a defensive penalty and the Patriots may get one more play.
I had no sooner finished my thought when the flag was waved off and the game was over. Another Panthers victory!
We watched as Brady shouted obscenities at the refs. Even the announcers sounded confused.
On replay, you could see the Panthers Luke Kuechly giving a bear hug to Gronkowski, nearly pushing him out of the back of the end zone. If it wasn't pass interference, it had to be holding, right? Apparently not - at least according to the refs on the play.
As I sat and watched the replay and listened to the announcers try and explain what happened, my wife was already asking me to put Homeland back on. The game was over, and she was moving on.
I watched ESPN this morning for another look at it. I read commentary online. I saw a flood of Facebook status updates debating the call.
My final conclusion was this - it doesn't matter. The game is over. I know people worry that it sets a precedent of potential poor play-calling by referees, but does it really? It's just a game.
Brady has led his team to plenty of come-from-behind victories over the years. I thought people were getting tired of him and the Patriots winning all the time. After so many dismal years and games, can't we just let the Panthers have this one and enjoy it? For me, as my wife put it, it's nice having weeks when both of our teams win.
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