NFL: Broken pager leads to no review of key catch in OT

Gruden: Play should have been reviewed

By JOANNE KORTH
Published December 19, 2006

TAMPA - Bucs coach Jon Gruden believes the long pass play that helped set up the Bears' winning field goal in overtime on Sunday should have been reviewed by officials and ruled incomplete.

He could be right.

A mechanical issue prevented officials from reviewing Rashied Davis' 28-yard, third-down catch to the Bucs 20.

"It hit the ground," Gruden said.

Three plays later, Robbie Gould's 25-yard field goal gave Chicago a 34-31 victory.

The league issued this statement Monday:

"During overtime of the Tampa Bay-Chicago game on Sunday, replay assistant Jim Blackwood attempted to stop the game for a replay review following a 28-yard completion by the Bears that was ruled a completed pass on the field. The pager system used to contact the referee and umpire from the booth failed to operate on this particular play. The pagers will be checked to determine what happened and to ensure that they operate properly for the rest of the season."

The league did not indicated whether the call should have been overturned.

Davis adjusted to Rex Grossman's pass in the air, leaped for the catch over cornerback Ronde Barber and landed hard on the ground. It appeared Davis juggled the ball.

"The disappointing thing is that the play's not ruled properly on the field," Gruden said. "Clearly, the ball hit the ground; it should have been ruled properly on the field.

"In that case, with the dramatic situation that it was, the impact on the game ... I'll comment no further on that. It should have been reviewed."

In overtime, all replays are handled in the officials' booth. Coaches cannot challenge.

Twice during overtime, officials reviewed plays and upheld on-field rulings. The first was a fumble by Bucs tight end Alex Smith recovered near the sideline by the Bears. The second was a punt downed at the Bucs 2 by Bears linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo.

Gruden indicated he also would have liked a review of tight end Anthony Becht's third-down catch, marked a yard shy of a first down.

TOO MUCH EMOTION: Gruden was disappointed in a trio of young players called for 15-yard personal foul penalties.

Defensive lineman Dewayne White was penalized for retaliating a play after being kneed by Bears center Olin Kreutz. Rookie receiver Maurice Stovall was called for flipping the ball over his shoulder at a defender at the end of a 19-yard catch. And rookie right tackle Jeremy Trueblood was flagged in overtime for throwing his helmet in disgust after Smith's fumble.

"You've got to control your emotions," Gruden said. "You've got to forget about the last play. You can't take your personal frustrations out and commit a penalty of that magnitude. That's something that causes you to lose football games."

CONTACT DENIED: Running backs coach Art Valero, reportedly a potential candidate for the vacant University of Idaho coaching post, said he has not been contacted about the job.

Valero spent four years at Idaho in the early 1990s, serving as offensive coordinator and assistant head coach. The position was vacated when Dennis Erickson was hired last week by Arizona State.

Times staff writer Stephen F. Holder contributed to this report.

[Last modified December 19, 2006, 05:54:34]