Browns vs Steelers: First Down?

I didn't get to see this game.

No, unfortunately CBS thought it would be funny to make us watch the Titans-Patriots game instead.

However, after seeing this highlight... I knew I had some reporting to do. Let me set up the scenario for you:

Steelers go for it on 4th and 1 late in the 2nd quarter and Big Ben sneaks it up the middle. This play could lead to a possible swing in momentum or better yet, possible points for the Browns. If Ben makes the first down, Steelers can make a field goal and go up 10 at the half.

Put on your Officiating Cap and make the call yourself:



Unbelievable. First down? Really?

There is a clear distance in between where the ball is and where the marker is set. Id say that is about 3 inches of space. The fact that the ref didn't see that really has to make you wonder what he is even doing out there.

His name is Walt Anderson. After the game, he was asked about the call:

Question: Why it was a first down
Walt Anderson: "The ball has to penetrate the plane of the stake. When we set the ball up ready to measure and we bring the chains out, the chains are set beside the football, they're not put down on top of the football. So I get on the side and I'm looking straight in at that angle. So when the stakes go down I'm sighting in between the nose of the football and the stake. So if the nose of the ball touches the stake then it's a first down. It's kind of like a football touching the plane of the goal line. But we don't actually put the stake up against the nose of the ball because of the way the ball is shaped. The chains and the stake are laid beside...so it kind of depends on the angle you might be looking at it from."

Question: Picture showed ball short of the stick
Walt Anderson: "It depends on which angle you might be looking. I'm looking from straight on so I guess it's conceivable that's why I don't get it back at an angle because it can be deceptive because there's a little bit of a distance probably in the neighborhood of five or six inches between the actual point of the football and where the stake actually sets on the ground. If you shot at an angle maybe from back behind the ball it might look like it's short. If you shot at angle the other side, it might actually look like it's further in advance of the stake then what it actually."

Reading that first response left me scratching my head. It makes absolutely no sense what so ever. You can tell he was caught on the spot, probably nervous, and had to stick by his call no matter what because that is what he is paid to do. Was Walt Anderson about to pull an Ed Hochuli and fess up?

Question: Where he was measuring the nose of the ball was at the stake?
Walt Anderson: "It touched the plane of the stake because that's what I'm looking at."

Question: The correct call was made and you stand by it?
Walt Anderson: "Yes"

Guess not.

Hey Walt, people make mistakes. Its normal. But don't lie to everyone and ignore the fact that you made the wrong call. Don't ramble on and belittle everyone by pretending we didn't understand.

Steelers eventually won 27-14. Making this call late in a closer scoring game would really have raised some questions. But it will be pushed to side just like all the other bad calls throughout games that no one remembers.

Makes you wonder if those little calls actually might make difference after all...