After a recent report detailed the officiating disparity between the Raiders and the rest of the NFL (especially the Patriots), it only made sense to take a look at the most recent games between the Patriots and Raiders.
We all know about the officiating atrocity that occurred in January of 2002, but if the officiating trends around both teams are accurate, there should be no better opportunity to see the bias than head-to-head matchups.
Since the Tuck Rule game (where the Patriots were only penalized only once in four quarters plus overtime), the Raiders and Patriots have played six times. The Raiders have only beaten the Patriots once in that stretch and they pulled off the one win despite being flagged 12 times in the game.
In the six games since the Tuck Rule, the Raiders have been flagged 58 times and the Patriots only 31 times in head-to-head matchups. Four of the Patriots five wins came by 2+ scores and the one close matchup came in 2014. The call that defined the game came on a game-tying touchdown (assuming extra point) with only 59 seconds remaining in the game. It was a “hold” on rookie guard Gabe Jackson that brought back the score and the Pats got an interception on the next play. A play that should never have happened.
Here is the hold. Any other team does this and it’s a pancake. Raiders do it and it costs them a game.
Remember, one of the important details in the Ethical Skeptic report was that the Raiders see more subjective calls against them at pivotal moments than most, if not all, of the rest of the league. Certainly the call against Jackson in 2014 would qualify as such. Furthermore, in the six head-to-head games since the tuck, the Raiders’ average yards-per-penalty is 8.8 while the Patriots is a meager 6.9.
The data is there and finally coming to the surface. The question is whether or not it’s all just coincidence. No question that is what the league would like you to believe.
twitter: @raidersbeat
As much as I would love 2 believe in this conspiracy theory that pits the NFL against the Raiders n at times I do buy into 100 percent (but that may be the fan in me and not the logical unbiased side). When I really think about things in a neutral context there are points that contradict the existence of said conspiracy.
Remember 2016 when Raiders posted 12-4 record making playoffs after lengthy drought. The Raiders were penalized a lot that season and one game in particular the game against Tampa Bay. The Raiders broke their own record of most penalties in a game trying to lose it and give the Bucs the win. The officials made calls against the Bucs late in game that helped the Raiders overcome their subconscious desire to hand the win to Bucs.
Then there was other games (as Raiders won a lot of close games many 4th quarter comebacks) and due to Raiders excelling in some key statistical categories they were able to post a very good record hiding the substsntial holes the team had in many positions.
I also think about the fact that while Al Davis battled NFL throughout his tenure I also remember the bond Al Davis and Jerry Jones shared and the fact that Al Davis aided in the evolution forming this NFL originating with AFL. Jerry Jones is very influential with league as owners tend to flow with the current created by Jerry and Cowboys. That said it would be hard for me to believe that Jerry Jones would be party to any conspiracy against the Raiders and that he would sit idly by (at least while Al was still alive) and not become proactive in stopping any alleged conspiracy.
Again while I wholeheartedly believe in conspiracies I really cannot buy into this report unless and/or until research is conducted whereby someone reviews games the Raiders have won not just the losses which shouldnt take that much time since my Raiders have suffered through a lot of seasons resulting with very few wins.
Why doesn’t somebody with some power do something about it! We’re tired of getting screwed!
Just a delusional homer that needs to take off his tinfoil hat, stand up from his broken computer chair, wipe the Cheeto crumbs off his faded raiders sweatshirt, go outside, let his eyes adjust to sunlight, and breath in some fresh air. Well… it’s still oakland air.. but at least it’s better than the air in his man cave.
Lol k
i wish the officials were held accountable for there mistakes or should i say cheating. the game of football is becoming a joke and pretty soon even diehard fans will turn there backs on the game they love
Although I’m nOT a conspiracy theorist, my own eyes tell me that the Raiders get flagged on more ticky-tack calls then most of their opponents. And these calls do not “even out”, as the saying goes. These calls come at some critical points in the game, when there is no time to overcome them. I will not re-hash the “tuck rule call, that is over and happened a long time ago. What bothers me the most is that it makes no difference who the HC is, these calls continue, even with a whole new roster. That in itself is too big a coincidence. NFL officating needs to be cleaned up as a whole. One crew will make a certain call, whereas another crew will not throw a flag on the same play. There is a lack of consistency.