# NFL Week 9 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** football-nfl\ **Created:** [October 28, 2025, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-9/1024359 "2025-10-28T14:18:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2025, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-9/1024359/21 "2025-10-31T02:16:28Z")
The Dolphins look like a mess. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2025, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-9/1024359/22 "2025-10-31T05:15:48Z")
> **[Mike McDaniel's Job Status Reportedly 'Firmly Up in the Air' amid Dolphins...](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25273238-mike-mcdaniels-job-status-reportedly-firmly-air-amid-dolphins-rumors)** > > Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel's job status is "firmly up in the air," per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, who provided a report prior to Miami's Thursday Night Football home game against the Baltimore Ravens. Getting crushed by a 2-5 team in prime time isn’t a great look. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2025, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-9/1024359/23 "2025-10-31T05:34:33Z")
The ref definitely screwed the Dolphins over with one call in the first half where a Dolphins player (Ollie Gordon) accidentally slipped and fell on the turf in front of a Raven and the ref claimed it was intentional clipping/tripping. Never seen that before. Cost the Dolphins a would-have-been trip to deep inside the Ravens’ red zone. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2025, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-9/1024359/24 "2025-10-31T05:56:41Z")
Look at the video in the article. > **[Huge Dolphins gain wiped out with controversial penalty: ‘That’s not a foul’](https://nypost.com/2025/10/30/sports/huge-dolphins-gain-wiped-out-with-controversial-penalty/)** > > The refs called tripping against the Dolphins defense — but they might be tripping themselves. It looks to me like his left foot slid to the right into his right foot and he tripped. It wasn’t the usual slip where a player’s foot dramatically slips out from under him, so it might have looked intentional in real time, but in slow motion it’s obvious he slipped. That was a bad call and a review should have cleared it up. Obviously the Dolphins stank and one play didn’t cost them the game, but it was definitely an officiating blunder regardless. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2025, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-9/1024359/25 "2025-10-31T06:01:22Z")
Officiating has been really bad this season. It was particularly bad in the Giants game last week. (The “tush push fumble that wasn’t” was particularly galling.) ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2025, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-9/1024359/26 "2025-10-31T15:05:31Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > It looks to me like his left foot slid to the right into his right foot and he tripped. It wasn’t the usual slip where a player’s foot dramatically slips out from under him, so it might have looked intentional in real time, but in slow motion it’s obvious he slipped. That was a bad call and a review should have cleared it up. It was even more obvious that he never actually, you know, made contact with the defender. [If that is irrelevant as far as the application of the rule is concerned, my objection is hereby withdrawn.] ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2025, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-9/1024359/27 "2025-10-31T15:42:13Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > It was even more obvious that he never actually, you know, made contact with the defender. Well, he did, in the sense that he and the defender physically touched each other. Of course, he didn’t _trip_ the defender, because the defender didn’t trip. This is the actual NFL rulebook: > **[2025 NFL Rulebook | NFL Football Operations](https://operations.nfl.com/the-rules/nfl-rulebook/#article-14-striking-kicking-tripping-or-kneeing-opponents)** > > Explore the official 2025 NFL rulebook. The rule is written very simply. > All players are prohibited from: > tripping an opponent, including the runner; That’s it. No elaboration. The opponent didn’t trip, he ran and sort-of jumped over the guy and kept going. It’s not even that the officials didn’t see it properly and didn’t review what was clearly a significant play, but they called a penalty for something they _couldn’t_ have seen because **it didn’t happen**. The officials aren’t the only ones who look bad in the wake of this. > **[Miami Dolphins RB Coach Ripped for Screaming at Player After Bogus Penalty Call](https://www.mediaite.com/media/sports/miami-dolphins-rb-coach-ripped-for-screaming-at-player-after-bogus-penalty-call/)** > > Miami Dolphins running backs coach Eric Studesville was harshly criticized online following an ugly shouting match with running back Ollie Gordon II. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2025, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-9/1024359/28 "2025-10-31T17:01:30Z")
Also, I’d like to point this out: > **[NFL adds new penalties subject to replay review, including unnecessary roughness](https://www.sbnation.com/nfl/1078120/nfl-penalties-replay-review-subjects-new-additions-2025)** > > A change in the NFL rulebook might lead to more flags this season New rule this year that allows for replay review for roughing penalty, which includes: > - Tripping penalties, where “there is clear and obvious video evidence that the player’s leg or foot did not contact the opponent;” The fact that this didn’t happen is such BS. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2025, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-9/1024359/29 "2025-10-31T17:20:52Z")
> [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > The Dolphins look like a mess. I happened to take out my contact lenses before turning this one off last night and, based on the TV audio, they SOUNDED like a mess. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2025, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-9/1024359/30 "2025-10-31T18:28:38Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > New rule this year that allows for replay review for roughing penalty, which includes: > > > - Tripping penalties I didn’t watch the game. Could the Dolphins have protested the call? ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2025, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-9/1024359/31 "2025-10-31T18:37:39Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > Could the Dolphins have protested the call? From what I can determine, no. These kinds of calls are judgement calls for the officials, and you can’t throw a challenge flag. I mean, they can complain to the officials (and I’m sure they did, as probably happens with many penalties) but they can’t prompt for a review themselves. And the replay officials can act on their own initiative when a flag like this is thrown. > **[NFL Replay Assistance Rule | NFL Football Operations](https://operations.nfl.com/officiating/instant-replay/replay-assistance-rule/)** > > Replay officials and designated members of the NFL officiating department can advise on-field crews based on clear and obvious video evidence. > Replay officials located in NFL stadium replay booths and designated members of the NFL officiating department in Art McNally GameDay Central at the league office in New York may provide on-field officials with objective information regarding on-field rulings, the correct application of playing rules. > > Before, replay officials were only permitted to provide input on limited administrative issues and during replay reviews. Now, they can proactively assist in situations where clear and obvious video evidence is quickly available to assist the on-field officials on objective rulings. It just boggles my mind that nothing was done for a play like this, which was so impactful for the game. You’d expect that they would want to get it right. It wasn’t just the folks on the field that screwed up. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2025, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-9/1024359/32 "2025-10-31T19:07:57Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > You’d expect that they would want to get it right. It wasn’t just the folks on the field that screwed up. wild conspiracy theory/ The league is in the bag for the Ravens (great comeback of the ages, Lamar MVP…yadda yadda yadda). Miami’s going nowhere, Ravens can boost (ad revenue) the game. /end WCT ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2025, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-9/1024359/33 "2025-10-31T20:03:28Z")
I think it’s more likely that they screwed up. The conspiracy theory doesn’t really work for two reasons. 1. The Ravens have an awful record, and even after this win they are only 3-5. If the NFL is invested in helping them win, they’ve been doing an awful job. 2. They didn’t need to throw a bogus flag on purpose for the Ravens to win. The score was 14-3 at the time the flag was thrown, and the final score was 28-6. The Ravens did not need help from the officials to win this game at all, and especially not at that point in the game. If this was a bogus penalty on someone who barely touched Jackson and got called for roughing, I could buy that as playing favorites, but the circumstances around this whole thing don’t even make sense if you take it as a given that the NFL is corrupt and the officials are in on it. That would look different in my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2025, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-9/1024359/34 "2025-10-31T20:38:13Z")
I’m totally willing to attribute it to incompetence than malice. The zebras have a tough job and are known to screw up from time to time. It happens. Especially when it comes to protecting high profile QBs. They’d hear it worse if for non-calls on roughing. It sucks being a fan on the receiving end of a mistake, but most fans still prefer the idea of having human officials on the field. And nobody can claim the ratbirds needed any extra help that game. Miami came looking ready for a high school scrimmage. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2025, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-9/1024359/35 "2025-10-31T21:11:30Z")
> ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2025, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-9/1024359/36 "2025-10-31T21:20:32Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > - The Ravens have an awful record, and even after this win they are only 3-5. If the NFL is invested in helping them win, they’ve been doing an awful job. The Ravens are the current Vegas favorites to win the division. This was the case before the Thursday night game as well. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2025, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-9/1024359/37 "2025-10-31T22:57:06Z")
> [@Omniscient](#): > > The Ravens are the current Vegas favorites to win the division. Interesting, given the Steelers have 1 more win and 2 fewer losses. Then again, their wins were against the Jets, Vikings, Patriots, and Browns, while the Ravens have lost to tougher teams (Bills, Lions, Chiefs, Rams, Texans). I’d argue the only good team the Steelers beat were the Patriots, while the only bad team to beat the Ravens were the Texans (and the Texans aren’t _awful_, just not very good). And of course, the Ravens did a lot of that without Jackson. So, I can see how the Ravens might be considered the most likely to win it over the long haul, regardless of current record. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2025, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-9/1024359/38 "2025-10-31T23:17:23Z")
Baltimore’s only divisional game so far this season was a win against Cleveland. So they have another game against the Browns and 2 more against the Bengals plus the 2 against Pittsburgh, who already have a loss against the Bengals. Those 2 games they play against each other probably decide the division. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2025, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-9/1024359/39 "2025-11-01T02:22:00Z")
The Dolphins sacked GM Chris Greer today, and _not_ head coach Mike McDaniel; reports are that McDaniel is expected to remain as coach through the end of the season. It would, of course, not be surprising if a new GM brings in a new coach after year-end. > **[Grier out as Fins GM; McDaniel to finish season](https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/46792843/chris-grier-dolphins-gm-mike-mcdaniel-finish-season)** > > Chris Grier is out as Miami Dolphins general manager, the team announced Friday, but head coach Mike McDaniel will keep his position through at least the regular season, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2025, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-9/1024359/40 "2025-11-01T02:23:21Z")
Has anybody else noticed an increase in neck tackling? Catch the ball carrier from behind, grab the back of their neck and pull them down to the ground. It looks every bit as bad as a horse collar or face mask but it consistently doesn’t get flagged, so I can only assume it’s legal. I don’t remember seeing it much before, but this season I’m seeing it a lot. I was reminded again last night where I saw several neck tackles. The crowd generally reacts like they’re expecting a penalty, and so do I. But I don’t recall ever seeing it flagged. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-9/1024359.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-9/1024359.md?page=3)