The Jets got one of the biggest bail out calls in the history of football and because of it, defeated the Broncos 24-20. The situation was 4th and 6 and Mark Sanchez threw a prayer to Santonio Holmes, and the ref called pass interference on the defender. Yes there was contact, but that is a call you never see made. It is an unwritten rule to never make a call like that to decide a game. Additionally, Holmes made just as much contact on the defender. The only rationale for making the call had to have been the defender grabbed Holmes' face mask. The pass was literally a prayer because there was no possible way Sanchez could think anyone was coming down with that ball. That prayer was answered by the football gods. What made the call worse for Denver was it gave the Jets the ball on the one yard line. They scored on the next play. They got a lucky break, and to have a big season, you need the breaks to go your way. This was a huge one.
The penalty call makes me continue to think football games are fixed. The Jets were a 3.5 point favorite and the touchdown gave them a 4 point lead. They ended up winning the game by the 4 point total. If no penalty is called, Denver wins the game and the Jets do not cover. The ref that made the call must have taken the Jets to cover. Yes it is a crazy theory, but why not, it really is not unrealistic.
I will compare this to the break the Jets got in 1998 when Vinny Testaverde was clearly short of the goal line and the refs ruled he scored a touchdown. That beneficial call propelled the Jets to win the game. It led them to a 12-4 record and a division title. This years Jet team will hope for similar fortunes.
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