Tribune News Services
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is downplaying a potential facemask penalty that wasn't called on the decisive play of Sunday's overtime playoff loss at Arizona.
Facing third-and-6 on the first series of overtime, Cardinals cornerback Michael Adams blitzed Rodgers and knocked the ball out. It bounced off Rodgers' foot and into the hands of linebacker Karlos Dansby, who ran for a touchdown to give Arizona a 51-45 victory.
Adams appeared to grab Rodgers' facemask on the play, but officials didn't throw a flag. Rodgers didn't complain Monday, saying he was more concerned about his own mistakes.
The NFL issued an explanation, noting that "twisting, turning or pulling" the facemask is a 15-yard penalty but the penalty for an "incidental" grab of the facemask was eliminated before the 2008 season.
Here is a video of the controversial, game-deciding play:
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is downplaying a potential facemask penalty that wasn't called on the decisive play of Sunday's overtime playoff loss at Arizona.
Facing third-and-6 on the first series of overtime, Cardinals cornerback Michael Adams blitzed Rodgers and knocked the ball out. It bounced off Rodgers' foot and into the hands of linebacker Karlos Dansby, who ran for a touchdown to give Arizona a 51-45 victory.
Adams appeared to grab Rodgers' facemask on the play, but officials didn't throw a flag. Rodgers didn't complain Monday, saying he was more concerned about his own mistakes.
The NFL issued an explanation, noting that "twisting, turning or pulling" the facemask is a 15-yard penalty but the penalty for an "incidental" grab of the facemask was eliminated before the 2008 season.
Here is a video of the controversial, game-deciding play:
Register with Chicago Tribune and receive Bears, Bulls, and Blackhawks newsletters for free. 
When sports news breaks, be the first to know. (To get alerts on a mobile device, text CHISPORTS to 31286.). 
How come no one's talking about the missed face mask call
against the Packers when they pulled Arizona's running back
down and one of the Arizona linemen got into the face of
the defender who did it but idiots Joe Buck and Aikman
totally pro-Packers during the game didn't address it,
that was a 3rd down play in the second half that ended a drive
When I watched the game on Sunday, I really felt that Aaron Rodgers kicked the ball accidentally. It looked like he was trying to maintain his balance. On the other hand, that facemask grab was awfully close to being a penalty. The referee was looking right at it, but maybe another angle would have shown that the defensive guy hung on, not merely brushed against the helmet accidentally. That game could have gone either way at the end, but the overthrown pass and amazing defensive turnover sealed Green Bay's fate.
When I watched the game on Sunday, I really felt that Aaron Rodgers kicked the ball accidentally. It looked like he was trying to maintain his balance. On the other hand, that facemask grab was awfully close to being a penalty. The referee was looking right at it, but maybe another angle would have shown that the defensive guy hung on, not merely brushed against the helmet accidentally. That game could have gone either way at the end, but the overthrown pass and amazing defensive turnover sealed Green Bay's fate.
anyone who watches carefully must admit the ball's gone before the first finger touches the mask
Why isn't anyone talking about how he purposely KICKED THE BALL? Maybe he thought it was going to be called a fumble so he kicked at it so one of his teammates could recover it. Would kicking the ball be a penalty???
Go Colts(and Bears in 2010)!