Did Pittsburgh Steelers Benefit from Call on Ike Taylor Strip Sack of Mark Sanchez?

I’ve often complained that the Pittsburgh Steelers get every call, and it frequently feels like that is the case. I couldn’t help but feel like the same thing was happening Sunday in the AFC Championship Game. Pittsburgh hung on for a 24-19 win over the Jets, shutting things down after going up 24-0 in the first half. They were already dominating early going up 17-0, but the touchdown to make it 24-0 made the lead nearly insurmountable. And much like the tuck rule call between the Patriots and Raiders, this play seemed sketchy.

Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez was already in a bad situation facing a 3rd and 17 at his 26 with his team down 17-0. As he dropped back to pass, he wound up to make a throw. Steelers CB Ike Taylor hit Sanchez as the quarterback was moving his arm to attempt a pass, and the ball was knocked loose. William Gay recovered the fumble and returned it for a touchdown, making it a 24-0 first-half butt-whooping. I thought for sure the play would be overturned, but I was wrong. Here are some pictures of Sanchez’s arm when he was hit:

NFL.com has the video for you to decide your thoughts on the call. I maintain Sanchez’s arm was moving forward and making a throw when he was hit. Seeing it in real-time and in slow motion only confirms what I felt. What do you think? Because for me, it was pretty clear the Jets got screwed on the call.

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http://pulse.yahoo.com/_ON2Q3PFLNA6D7X45KFWMIQOTVY Eric Z

Hand moving forward or not, the pass went backwards as well.
http://twitter.com/IntheOT Chad Margulius

No doubt it helped. The question is was it the correct call? I would say no, his move was definently moving in a forward direction. Should be of no shock that Hochuli is involved with a crucial decision like this making the wrong decision.
Anonymous

How about that 1st drive of the game where the official gave them an extra yard n a half with a horrible mark that of course just barely gave them a first down keeping the drive alive which resulted in a td.
The wideout was not even remotely close to a 1st yet was given one.
Days like this I think the NFL is no better than the fixed NBA
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_BZ3VDSM7PNT7Z656GZG3MERPBU rich

Clearly, you can see that his head is being pulled back but his arm is actually moving back and not forward. If you watch the replay, Sanchez is standing on the 20 yard line and after the ball is knocked loose it lands on the 18 yard line. I’m not sure how that happens if his arm is moving forward?
http://larrybrownsports.com Larry Brown

Yeah, but it would have been incomplete
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_H73MYSJ7BVYQWSH3O3E3J4BAUY my .02

stop making excuses for the Jets awful play. This wasn’t like he was tucking the ball like the pansy Brady tuck rule. He was getting ready to throw the ball and you can see his arm is hit as he is at the full back position. The ball is knocked loose before his ARM has a chance to go forward. His hand flops forward but only because the ball is loose and he couldn’t hold onto it. I wish people would stop with the conspiracy theories. What about the 3rd and goal and 4th and goal play calling by the jets it was awful in the 4th quarter. If they scored that TD instead of turning it over on downs and getting a safety they might have had a better chance at stopping pitt and getting the ball back. Quit your whining.
Anonymous

If you look at the reply, Taylor’s hand hit Sanchez’s arm but it was Taylor’s helmet that caused the ball to leave the throwing hand. The impact happened at about the same instant as the hand starts forward, but it appears that the ball never moved forward, though the throwing hand did. The quarterback must have control of the ball when his hand moves forward. The ball was propelled sideways (perhaps slightly backwards) by Taylor’s helmet and went toward Gay who picked it up. Also note Taylor’s left hand hit Sanchez’s left elbow (funny bone) giving him a temporary injury to his non-throwing arm. Look at the reply on the NFL site. Note the helmet impact that the ref saw.
Anonymous

Terrible article; just another Steeler hater because they have been so successful. The play on the field was called a fumble, the ball clearly never went forward, it went backwards, it was reviewed and by the time his hand was moving forward, the ball was loose. Anyone watching the replay could see that, unless they had their Steeler Hater Goggles on.
Anonymous

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