Ball don’t lie: The 3 worst calls from NFL refs during Super Bowl 57

While Roger Goodell appears to have some faith in NFL refs, that faith reared its ugly head in Super Bowl 57.

Carl Cheffers crew got the call for the big game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night. Kansas City fans didn’t have anything kind to say to Cheffers prior to this game, and that likely won’t change after the Super Bowl.

Roger Goodell, however, was confident in his crew.

“Our officials are held to an incredibly high standard and I think they meet it. Will we try to get better? You betcha,” Goodell said just a few days ago.

Sure, we can all ‘be better’, but the number of bad calls are more noticeable now than ever before. With an increased audience via streaming and social media, nothing goes by the wayside. Officials in every sport are literally graded after every performance. Wearing the black and white is not as prestigious of a job as it used to be.

Unfortunately, the Super Bowl wasn’t a clean game, either. Much laundry was spilled on the field — and not just because of the grass. Some of it was unnecessary, while other plays contained missed calls.

I’m here to break it all down.

Super Bowl worst calls from NFL refs: What is pass interference?

James Bradberry got away with a pretty blatant pass interference call against JuJu Smith-Schuster which stalled a Kansas City Chiefs drive early in the game. It wasn’t a game-changing call, by any means, but there’s a reason it’s only the first bad decision listed.

Bradberry had his hands all over Smith-Schuster, and it appeared to be a relatively textbook.

https://twitter.com/8Flavs/status/1624929947356741634

As FanSided’s Cody Williams pointed out, it didn’t help that Cheffers was at the helm:

"“It doesn’t help that referee Carl Cheffers was on the officiating crew for Super Bowl 57, a ref that many fans in Kansas City will tell you has been none too kind to the Chiefs. In fact, they might tell you this isn’t the first time that he’s screwed them over with a call.”"

The league definition of pass interference is relatively simple, and leave open plenty of room for interpretation. It gives league officials a lot of leeway when making said call, which usually favors the offense:

"“It is pass interference by either team when any act by a player more than one yard beyond the line of scrimmage significantly hinders an eligible player’s opportunity to catch the ball. Pass interference can only occur when a forward pass is thrown from behind the line of scrimmage, regardless of whether the pass is legal or illegal, or whether it crosses the line.”"

Surely, if we apply that definition to the aforementioned play, Bradberry was guilty of PI.

Yet, later in the game the officials evened things out at the worst possible time. Bradberry was called for pass interference in the fourth quarter, which gave the Chiefs a free first down. At the time, it looked like relatively weak contact. It allowed Kansas City the chance to wind the clock down for a game-winning field goal.

Yikes. Yeah, situational awareness is not a strength of any officiating crew. It changed the entire complexion of the game, and sent Eagles fans to the streets for the wrong reasons.

Super Bowl worst calls from NFL refs: What exactly is a catch?

The NFL’s definition of a catch is confusing to any fan. Really, it’s a case by case basis. We just wish there was a little more consistency in the matter.

Super Bowl 57 had several examples of catch vs. no-catch rulings, and while they weren’t necessarily wrong in the moment, they are worth pointing out due to the lack of clarity.

Arrowhead Addict described the play:

"“On the Eagles’ opening drive of the second half, quarterback Jalen Hurts found running back Miles Sanders for a short pass, but Chiefs defensive back L’Jarius Sneed was more than ready for it and it was an instant hit for a three-yard loss. Even more importantly, the ball was knocked loose and Bolton picked it up and sauntered into the end zone. For a brief moment, it looked as if Bolton would have his second touchdown of the night—an incredibly heroic performance from a second-year linebacker—but officials quickly went to work to see if it was the right call or not.”"

https://twitter.com/ClutchPointsApp/status/1624953030826409985

It’s important to note that the play was called a fumble and defensive touchdown on the field. After a long review, the ruling on the field was overturned.

Super Bowl bad calls from NFL refs: What is a catch continued

Not long after, Dallas Goedert made a tough catch along the sideline that was reviewed by officials, once again in an ever-so-long process. Goedert appeared to bobble the ball as he was headed out of bounds.

Goedert’s catch was maintained after instant replay.

But that got us to thinking, what exactly is a catch? The NFL defines it as follows in their official rulebook:

"“A player who makes a catch may advance the ball. A forward pass is complete (by the offense) or intercepted (by the defense) in the field of play, at the sideline, or in the end zone if a player, who is inbounds: a. secures control of the ball in his hands or arms prior to the ball touching the ground; and b. touches the ground inbounds with both feet or with any part of his body other than his hands; and c. after (a) and (b) have been fulfilled, performs any act common to the game (e.g., tuck the ball away, extend it forward, take an additional step, turn upfield, or avoid or ward off an opponent), or he maintains control of the ball long enough to do so.”"

If you can tell me for a fact that Goedert completed that entire process, without a doubt, I’m not sure I’d believe you.

DeVonta Smith’s so-called no catch earlier in the game doesn’t inspire much confidence.

https://twitter.com/shannonsharpeee/status/1624938517423063040

It appeared as though Smith secured the catch, but when he went to the ground the ball moved ever so slightly. Why, then, was Smith’s play a drop, but Goedert’s a catch?

I’m a little confused.