Looks like you’re right.
Because it’s not “intentional.” You see it all the time: QB winds up to throw, gets hit by defender as his arm is coming forward, ball flops lamely forward and lands 20 yards from the nearest elligible receiver, and no flag for intentional grounding is ever thrown. You must have noticed this.
Because trying to initiate a forward pass when you’re a tenth of a second away from being hit by a defender is a great way to fumble the ball.
Actually, I should amend what I said: a pass is immune from intentional grounding if the QB is being hit as he throws and it appears that said contact caused the pass to go badly off target. I have seen them call grounding if the QB was sort of wrapped up but still able to get off a clean pass.
Great, you used up my one ‘you were right’ for the year. 
The point I’m making is that if it were reviewed and determined to be an incomplete pass there is no detail that would have rendered it moot, which is the point you were making. The Cards would have had another play. No penalty, no run-off.
I’m willing to debate if that was a pass or a fumble, there’s gray area there, but you can’t claim it’s not worth reviewing and you can’t claim that there would have been any violation rendering a review meaningless.
IAmNotSpartacus, thanks for the link.
I see:
By any chance, can you find and cite the text of that rule? It’s pretty vague on the page you linked to.
Awww, don’t beat yourself up. It was confusing at first, but I figured it out.
That’s because there’s no rule against it, and hasn’t been since, IIRC, about 2002.
Seconded. IMO, that kind of behavior should lead to immediate ejection every single time. That’s just not acceptable.
Not too close, as I recall. He lowered his head to the holder’s level and slammed right into the guy. I mean, it was like a battering ram hitting a bus right in the grill. That’s just not kosher.
Thanks for the link. That’s simply a fantastic shot.
Check out the link in The Controvert’s post. That picture clearly shows both feet touching the ground.
That’s because it doesn’t exist. Bueller? Bueller?
davidw, thanks for the video link. I agree, Warner’s second fumble was clearly the right call.
It didn’t look like it, but they showed a replay with the lines of the pocket drawn. He did, in fact, get just outside of the pocket. Remember, the rule refers to the original pocket; that is, the space between the LT and RT at the time of the snap, regardless of where the linemen may move afterward.
BTW, Omniscient, why the hell are you being such a dick about this? We’re having a friendly discussion/argument here. You’re really a fascist about the NFL rules–the way you personally see them. If you’re going to call people liars and advance an NFL conspiracy theory, why don’t you go to the Pit?
FTR, I’ve watched your video a couple of times and I see two guys lookin’ at each other and a clean (and very nice) block. And I say that as a Cards fan. YMMV. (See how I can do that without assuming malice on your part? See how I can disagree with you without coming off like a Moon-landing-denying nutter?)
What the fuck, man? You’re accusing people of trolling in the Game Room? Are you off your meds?
Hostile Dialect,
Hostile Dialect, Narcissist
Yes, I am clearly a nutter. Denying that this is a clip, while challenging to do with a straight face, is one thing. But you and the other poster saying that this is “two guys facing each other” is just a out and out lie. Though I suppose if Steeler fans keep yelling it to one another loud enough it’ll become true.
I have no dog in the fight (also a Packers fan), and it’s not a clip. He puts his hands on the shoulder of the Cardinal, who’s momentum carries him forward, down, twisting, and onto his back.
Omniscient, you aren’t. 
Getting on to Harrison’s foul, any guesses to the cause. Harrison isn’t the type of player to pound on someone’s back for no reason. Pushing them down and holding them there, yeah, I can see that. But, to keep pounding on their back that way, sounds like there may be more to the story.
I didn’t see anything, but an unreliable source (someone I met in passing) said they saw him knee Harrison in the groin. Really?
Heh, I’ve got to smile because this strikes me as what will likely be yet another classic case of an instance in which two parties are in disagreement despite the fact they’re looking at the same evidence.
Unless you’re referencing another photo, one other than the one The Controvert linked to, in it, the one I linked to before and this one (click on #13) they all appear to show the same essential thing; Holmes puts his feet together with the right foot being slightly higher, draped behind and above the left, they remain throughout in the same relative position and he pivots on his left foot falling out of bounds. His right foot was very, very close to the ground but it doesn’t appear to ever actually touch the ground. Had Ben thrown the ball just a couple of inches lower to where Holmes didn’t need to stretch and curl left he undoubtably could have drug it. But he was stretched as far as he was capable, thus causing his right leg to lift and I’ve not seen any photographic evidence in which his right foot is on the ground.
As rexnervous states earlier, for the purposes of game replay it doesn’t matter. There’s nothing in the film officials would have seen that mandates overturning the call. I’ve looked at the video and the angles and clarity don’t provide evidence to overturn. It’s only in the photos of the numerous photographers clustered near and low in the endzone that the position of his right foot can be shown with greater detail.
Again, I’m not saying it wasn’t down at some point but I’ve yet to see a picture that demonstrates that to a discernable degree. For the record, I’ve argued for the first touchdown, still think Ben’s knee wasn’t down, and against this, so to me it’s just an interesting exercise in replay accuracy.
Once more, you’d best calm down, because your emotionality appears to be leading you to both violate board rules and to be putting words in other people’s mouths.
Nobody ever said that they were “facing” each other. They are most definitely looking at each other, as Hightower looks to try to angle around Woodley, and Woodley prepares to block him.
Thanks for putting it on a loop though. I could watch it over and over. You, however, should really step away from the computer for a while in order to compose yourself.
I didn’t see it that way at all. He reached down and tried to grab the guys shoulders and keep him upright. I think he knew he was f&%ked because it was clearly a penalty; he just took the wrong angle. It didn’t come across to me as vicious, just a bit dumb.
Is there a definition of “clipping” somewhere that we can use for a reference? (Or do they call it “blocking in the back” now?) They are running nearly side-by-side, but it looks to me like Woodley clearly reaches over to get his hands on Hightower’s back (could be the shoulder blade or closer to the spine) and pushes him forward.
I’m looking forward to reading Tuesday Morning Quarterback’s take on the game, and to see if he says anything about the officiating.
I didn’t see it but Harrison is known for having a short temper at times, though I’ve never seen him to anything quite like that. I could see them trying to get under his skin and throw him off his game. One thing I’ve noticed about James Harrison in his time wearing Black & Gold, he doesn`t get distracted from the task at hand very often, kind of the opposite of Joey Porter.
As a slight highjack; I still get a kick out of him losing patience with a Browns fan who was delaying the game Warning: clip has loud music
Here’s a hint: if you turn your back when you’re about to get hit, it’s not a clip. Period. He obviously dips his shoulder away from the hit right before it takes happen. Had he not done that, there wouldn’t even be a question about it.
Everyone is scrambling around looking for a picture that shows Holmes’s foot down. I say you can see it in the video replay. From the high angle, you can see Holmes coming down from his jump. His right foot stops falling and immediately pivots. He then falls over. That pivot tells me it’s in contact with the ground. Also, at :31 into the NFL films shot (that’s been linked to), you see his shoe laces swing around violently, as if the shoe just came to a sudden stop. That has to be due to the right foot hitting, not the left. Lastly, I think it’s hard for a 200 lb guy to come down on one toe and not have the other one down too. It’s not like he hit on the side of his left foot.
Ben is certainly not in. His calf is only half the size that it was prior to falling. Either he miraculously lost weight and muscle, or it’s on the ground.
It’s not clipping. The hands go to the shoulder pads.
Not a forward pass. The hand goes forward without the ball in it.
Folks, remember what forum you are in. Saying that others are lying or trolling is not appropriate. If you want a no-holds-barred discussion, take it to the Pit. Keep it in line or receive a warning.
We should have a five post run off due to the penalty.
Indeed, from TMQ:
TMQ also notes that Fitzgerald runs into a Cardinal player on the sideline which is also a penalty.
Now THAT is some serious officiating!