You Make The Call
September 21st, 2025
Catch or incomplete?
The last time Joe saw so many flags against the Bucs’ offensive line was about 20 years ago when Julius Peppers got in Kenyatta Walker’s head so badly that Peppers had Walker dancing at the end of a string.
Play after play after play seemed to be flagged. In fact, Rich Cimini of BSPN had the following information about the Bucs being flagged on their first possession of the game more than a prisoner in Singapore.
[Five] holding penalties on the drive is more than any team has had in an ENTIRE GAME this season and more than 25 teams have had all season to this point.
Brutal.
And it wasn’t just flags through which the refs did their best to pull one over on the Bucs. The Emeka Egbuka catch along the right sideline in the fourth quarter that was ruled incomplete and never reviewed? Joe’s photographer caught a couple of images that may suggest the catch was good.
Go ahead and look at those photos. Tell Joe that looks incomplete? Joe cannot say who because Joe overheard this chat between a prominent Bucs player and a Bucs suit, but this prominent player was outraged Egbuka’s catch/non-catch was never reviewed. Joe agrees.
The evidence is below. Feel free to make up your own mind.
Joe received these photos from the Emeka Egbuka catch late in the game that was ruled incomplete and never reviewed. These came from Joe’s photographer. Feel free to weigh in. pic.twitter.com/uqoxur1yvv
— JoeBucsFan (@JoeBucsFan) September 21, 2025
September 21st, 2025 at 6:05 pm
It was obviously a catch.
September 21st, 2025 at 6:05 pm
What the jets non catch in the end zone . Jet fans around me said we got screwed on both. You make the call.
September 21st, 2025 at 6:06 pm
The bullspit jets td was the worst
September 21st, 2025 at 6:07 pm
Refs didn’t review this catch and gave the Jets a touchdown that was clearly not a catch.
September 21st, 2025 at 6:08 pm
The fact that wasn’t reviewed needs to be investigate. I get bad calls happen but to blatantly not even take a look is extremely suspicious. could have literally dictated the entire outcome of the game. And I’m not even bitching about the fact we got more holding flags than any other team this year in one single drive. Ball don’t lie. We beat the jets and the zebras on the same damn day. Should be 4-0.
September 21st, 2025 at 6:08 pm
Debatable
September 21st, 2025 at 6:09 pm
it was a tough call, after watching it about 10 times to me still seemed incomplete
@joe After watching the field goal block, there is clearly an angle that shows his cleat slid down the back of the leg of the lineman. Pretty sure you have to jump over the lineman without touching them
September 21st, 2025 at 6:10 pm
also the problem is in that first photo he didn’t have full control of the ball yet
September 21st, 2025 at 6:10 pm
Worst officiating crew in the NFL bar none
September 21st, 2025 at 6:11 pm
Zoom in on the top picture. His right foot is off the ground.
September 21st, 2025 at 6:11 pm
Looks like legalized sports betting is taking over the game. Refs and NFL did everything possibly to give this game to New York.
September 21st, 2025 at 6:11 pm
It was a catch, the refs were horrible. The NFL has to look at this game.
September 21st, 2025 at 6:14 pm
Joe, you nailed it this am when you gave us a heads up on the officials being roadies. The replay guys were worse.
September 21st, 2025 at 6:15 pm
It was close but think there was definitely a strong case. Just wasn’t enough to overturn. The worst one was the TD catch by jets that shouldn’t have stood. It moved three times throughout. After McCollum hit the ball slid and was grasping with the tips of his fingers then before it hit the ground it was just ok that back of the one hand and moved clearly when it hit the ground and then grabbed with thigh and hand. Usually if it’s moving around and hits that’s not a catch. It really leaves a fan wondering what a catch is. Seen far more controlled stuff overturned.
September 21st, 2025 at 6:16 pm
Who cares…it worked out perfect. We haz a couple game cushion to keep it close an let the chips fal….Catbird Seat.
September 21st, 2025 at 6:17 pm
The catch by Egbuka was good. Amazing . He was robbed. What a stud.
Also the Lizzard “catch” on 4th down was incomplete. The ball was squirting around on the ground and he only had one hand on it.
I don’t expect Todd to go the the league office to point this out, he has an aversion to holding himself or anyone else accountable for anything. That was egregious and the zebras for that game should all be demoted to junior flag football in Germany.
Total crock.
September 21st, 2025 at 6:18 pm
Of course it was a catch….with the side judge standing less than 5 yards away looking directly at the play. STILL he called it incomplete. I don’t think he’s crooked, but DAYUM is he BLIND & STUPID!
September 21st, 2025 at 6:19 pm
As they say, you can call holding on every play – and the refs were out to prove that saying today.
As for the Double E catch, I’ll just say it’s as much of a catch as the Jets TD catch.
September 21st, 2025 at 6:19 pm
Emeka had both feet in, but it looked to me like he didn’t have complete control of the ball until after his second foot hit the turf. It was real, real close to me.
On the Jets TD, it looked to me like the receiver clearly didn’t have control even though he was trying to hold the ball close to his chest as he was hitting the ground. I saw it slip out and hit the ground. He didn’t maintain control of it.
September 21st, 2025 at 6:20 pm
100% catch. We got robbed on that play by the replay booth.
September 21st, 2025 at 6:24 pm
ALSO, the Jets blocked FG was a hurdle/jump over the lineman. This is an illegal play in the NFL if I’m not mistaken.
September 21st, 2025 at 6:24 pm
I don’t know what the time was on the clock… Didn’t Bowles have the option to throw a flag for review. I don’t understand why he called a time out and didn’t throw the red flag.
September 21st, 2025 at 6:26 pm
Horrible look by the refs and NFL for the non review at the end of the game. I thought we were supposed to close ball possession plays in the final two minutes. If that play is in the playoffs it gets reviewed every time.
September 21st, 2025 at 6:27 pm
Dav
Under two minutes
September 21st, 2025 at 6:28 pm
Lazard no catch
Ebuka a catch
Getting hosed
September 21st, 2025 at 6:29 pm
The lazard catch is honestly one of the worst calls I’ve seen in pro sports. Someone had to be investigated on this officiating crew
September 21st, 2025 at 6:30 pm
In the NFL, running and leaping across the line of scrimmage to block a field goal or punt is illegal under a rule passed in 2017, which prohibits “running forward and leaping across the line of scrimmage in an obvious attempt to block a field goal or try kick”. However, a defensive player may legally leap the line if they were in a stationary position on the line of scrimmage when the ball was snapped.
The D lineman took 2 steps before leaping. By rule, that is a penalty. Blocked field goal should’ve been a first and goal. This game was called worse than the 99 NFC Championship
September 21st, 2025 at 6:36 pm
Catch all the way……..fire those zebras
September 21st, 2025 at 6:37 pm
@ Robert Ritter
Thanks for clarifying. That was a blatant run into leap. I’ve seen that called several times and was screaming for the flag.
September 21st, 2025 at 6:40 pm
The old saying that they could call holding on every play comes to mind. I think we’re ready to be called before the game started.
September 21st, 2025 at 6:44 pm
Only thing missing was a Ryan Jensen personal foul, I miss that guy
September 21st, 2025 at 6:45 pm
“The lazard catch is honestly one of the worst calls I’ve seen in pro sports.“
Reverse Bert Emanuel, league needs to call and apologize, again.
September 21st, 2025 at 6:52 pm
I like Todd B but I cant stand his stupid Idea to hold the Defense back (prevent) so early in the 4th quarter. He lets teams get back into games. I am sick of it
September 21st, 2025 at 6:59 pm
Not sure it was a catch by the time he had possession and down but worse is the no catch which clearly show’s the ball moving in the Jet’s receivers hands that was ruled a catch but most of all the non penalty on the blocked punt AND roughing the kicker. Rob Ritter had it right he took 2 steps to leap not stationary. Don’t talk to me about QB safety against kicker safety. I get modifying it against kickers but that was an obvious roughing call, Chase had landed and could have easily had his kicking leg caved in. That Ref has always stunk and his crew too.
September 21st, 2025 at 7:02 pm
remember when we made cousins famous in the ‘you like that’ game? same deal. he owes us round 120 million for that game.
September 21st, 2025 at 7:04 pm
It was obvious catch, in the heels of an obvious non-crack that was given to the jets as touchdown.
How can anyone watch this kind of stuff happen and not think the refs are trying to steer games?
September 21st, 2025 at 7:05 pm
*it was an obvious catch, in the heels of an obvious non-catch*
September 21st, 2025 at 7:05 pm
*on the heels
I hate autocorrect
September 21st, 2025 at 7:06 pm
Watched the replay again. #91 held the guard down to allow McDonald to make that illegal leap b/w the guard and center. Another clear missed infraction by the refs.
September 21st, 2025 at 7:06 pm
1) Emeka’s was a catch and we have video evidence to prove it
2) Lazard’s was not a catch and we have video evidence to prove it
3) That was an absolute textbook case of leaping. I watched it several times and in slow motion. He took two steps before he left the ground. His right foot actually kicked the center’s right thigh. He went over top, albeit from the side, and landed directly behind the center, who then came up looking for the flag! Somewhere Simeon Rice is shaking his head…
Refs literally gave the Jets 2 touchdowns they didn’t earn
September 21st, 2025 at 7:07 pm
*center’s left thigh
September 21st, 2025 at 7:08 pm
Bowles needs to report this to the league
September 21st, 2025 at 7:09 pm
*I was right the first time…I need another Woodford. I don’t think I’ve ever been mad after a win.
Go Bucs!!
September 21st, 2025 at 7:16 pm
And then there was Dean’s second interception overturned by a nearly invisible pass interference.
In addition to holding, a PI could be called on every play as well.
Other referee crews would have thrown half the flags these guys tossed, probably less. Where’s the consistency? Today was not stellar day for officiating.
Make all crews call the game the same way, or get rid of em’.
September 21st, 2025 at 7:19 pm
1. Dropped TD upheld
2. Egbuka non-review
3. Leaping over the snapper on blocked FG
After all the refs did, this all happened against the Bucs in the 4th Qtr
Shame on the NFL for paying these clowns and also not running a proper replay booth in New York, go figure
Very fishy smells like old oysters
September 21st, 2025 at 7:22 pm
I was at the game and the sheer number of flags was brutal. It sucked the life out of the stadium the vast majority of the game. I’m guessing it was more than 20 between both teams. Every other play… And there’s a flag.
I’m sure plenty were valid, but those refs seemed extremely trigger happy.
They even threw three different flags and had to pick them up because there was no penalty.
It was insanely ridiculous
And at the stadium, the replays of Ebuka‘s catch were clear as day that he caught it. They even called a time out to give New York a chance to review the play because it was under the two minute warning.
Nothing.
How is that possible?
You could tell Bowles was pissed on the sidelines.
September 21st, 2025 at 7:24 pm
Never like to blame refs, I know it’s a tough job, but this whole game needs to be reviewed by the NFL because it was ridiculous.
The touchdown catch by the Jets,
the non-catch by Ebuka,
the blocked field goal,
the 20 flags that were thrown… That was absolute garbage put out by the NFL today in the form of referees
September 21st, 2025 at 7:24 pm
These are the worse refs I’ve ever seen in about 20 years.
September 21st, 2025 at 7:36 pm
Aqualung your first post on here was the first time I’ve ever entirely agreed with you. The officials tried to cheat us today!
September 21st, 2025 at 7:42 pm
The refs wanted some TV time, in my opinion they were calling BS penalties on both teams tho!
September 21st, 2025 at 7:50 pm
My anecdotal memory reminds me that refs –officials in all sports actually– like to make calls against rookies and other newbies as opposed to against established players and, of course, stars. Refs have to put them in their place from the beginning of their careers, train them to be obedient. When you advertise that virtually your whole offensive line fits this category, you can expect lots of calls. As has been often mentioned, you can call holding on almost every play, and that is what happened. Some calls were legit, but others were ticky-tacky, ones that wouldn’t be called against veterans. It’s a form of bias. A less-accomplished player must have cheated to be successful against a veteran. On the other hand, an All-Pro would not have to cheat to be successful. And you can be sure the Jets reminded the refs before the game about the newness of the Bucs players.
September 21st, 2025 at 7:56 pm
Here’s what I think on the Double E catch … it wasn’t a catch. He bobbled the bal and didn’t secure it until after the first foot was already up, so he only ended up getting one foot down, and his shin didn’t hit either. The bobble happened between the 1st and 2nd photos above, and that resets the feet, thus the reason it wasn’t a catch.
BUT, as I also said above, it was as much of a catch as the Jets TD catch, which also wasn’t a catch, as the ball clearly hits the ground and then moves, which is NOT a catch, and the prove WAS there to clearly overturn it – instead they went back to the nonsense BS of the call stood. Just flat out a terrible call.
Overall, this was one of the worst officiated games I’ve ever seen, and the refs have done everything possible to help the Falcons and Jets win, and the Bucs still pulled it out. Those are games in pre-Brady years that Bucs always lose, every single time. So to win this anyways is big time.
September 21st, 2025 at 7:58 pm
Regardless of whether there was conclusive evidence either way, the fact that this play wasn’t reviewed, particularly after the BS call on the Jets TD had already been made, if referee malpractice. Absolutely outrageous.
September 21st, 2025 at 8:05 pm
Mobucs that’s no excuse though.
September 21st, 2025 at 8:09 pm
Rod the Egbuka catch is debatable. The Lazard non-TD wasn’t and neither was the non-call for leaping on the FG block. That’s 14 points the Jets shouldn’t have had. Someone should *definitely* complain to the NFL with this much manipulation. As well as the holding penalties some of which were ridiculous.
September 21st, 2025 at 8:12 pm
The big problem with the Egbuka catch was that it was way too close to not be reviewed- even more so than the outcome that’s the problem.
September 21st, 2025 at 8:15 pm
Not only was that not called a catch but the TD the jets were gifted blew my mind. The jets receiver clearly dropped the ball and it hit the ground not once but twice.
September 21st, 2025 at 8:29 pm
If the NFL is really interested in transparency re calls/non-calls there should be a ESPN/NFL Network titled “We Missed the Call”. Show the plays that result in player fines that weren’t called as well as calls missed by Referees. If a local TV station has a photo that exposes a missed call, show it and highlight the miss that BIG NFL missed. Expose it all and it removes the ‘NY’ said X on a call that impacts any game, not just the prime time games. Call me for more suggestions Roger.
September 21st, 2025 at 8:34 pm
I thought the Bucs O-Line were going to commemorate 50.yesrs of Bucs football by getting 50 penalties.
September 21st, 2025 at 8:41 pm
Stpetematt Says:
September 21st, 2025 at 8:09 pm
Rod the Egbuka catch is debatable.
———
I’d love to be wrong, but it looked quite clear to me on tape, I was watching the ball and his feet, and the ball moves after the first foot had already came up, meaning he’d have only got one foot down. If I’m wrong, I’ll gladly take the verbal beating – and I will certainly look at it again, there’s little I like more than to complain about the refs.
My issue, however, was the TD catch was not a catch – and if they’re saying that garbage is a catch, then without question e2 caught that as well. The inconsistency is what I can’t stand.
September 21st, 2025 at 8:42 pm
D-Rome Says:
September 21st, 2025 at 8:34 pm
I thought the Bucs O-Line were going to commemorate 50.yesrs of Bucs football by getting 50 penalties.
———–
Now you’re thinking! Then have a legend autograph each flag and auction them off and make some serous moolah!
September 21st, 2025 at 8:52 pm
THE REFS SUCKED PLAIN AND SIMPLE ! SUCKED AT THERE JOB .BUT VEGAS LIKED THEM ! THATS WHO THEY WORK FOR !
September 21st, 2025 at 8:55 pm
Yeah Rod like I mentioned the really egregious thing was that it was definitely close enough to be reviewed. There’s just way too many problems with the officiating in this game and something needs done about it… especially the Lazard TD which was an insane call. And of course not penalizing blatant leaping on that FG “block” after throwing a flag if a Bucs player even looked at them funny.
September 21st, 2025 at 9:00 pm
FloridaGirl – brilliant idea. Seriously. Patent the idea quick! Meanwhile, the refs were more inept than Mr Magoo the Bucs Special Teams uncoordinator, which is no small feat.
September 21st, 2025 at 9:05 pm
I’m not a gambler, but those who are and bet on the Bucs got totally screwed because they didn’t cover the spread due to refs who are ignorant of or ignore the rules. You cannot leap over a linemen in 2025 to block a punt. You could do it from a stationary position years ago, but even that is illegal since 2017.
September 21st, 2025 at 9:39 pm
Refs should get fined.
September 21st, 2025 at 10:17 pm
It was a catch. He gained control after the bobble and had 2 feet down before going out. It’s fine if the refs missed it. WHATS NOT FINE IS THE FACT IT DIDNT GET REVIEWED WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO AFTER THE 2 MIN WHEN COACHES CANT THROW THE CHALLENGE FLAG. THE FACT IT DIDNT GET REVIEWED IS UNACCEPTABLE. SOMEONE NEEDS TI ANSWER FOR THIS BS.
September 21st, 2025 at 10:26 pm
Receivers leg touched OOB before second foot landed in bounds. Still should have been reviewed.
September 21st, 2025 at 10:31 pm
The Rams and Chargers are good in the nations 2nd media market. Both Jets and Giants suck and the NFL is desperate to have a winner in the largest media market. The replay center is in NY. Coincidence? I think not. They put the fix on and bungled that.