I'll chime in here as I dont really care one way or the other.  Two issues...

 

1) I think the NFL should call all head shots or none.  I thought this game was fine up until the Shazier hit which caused a fumble and took at least 3 points off the board for Bengals.  He clearly lowered his helmet to the point where his eyes were looking straight down and he was leading with the crown of his helmet.  And when he launched himself at the RB, who had just caught a pass and was turning after losing all momentum, Shazier's head was on the same plain as the RB's head.  So unless the RB drops out of the way, it's pretty clear it was going to be helmet to helmet.  Shazier lined that up to be helmet to helmet.  But I guess by the letter of the law, that isnt a penalty as you are allowed to go helmet to helmet with a runner?  I always thought no matter where or how or who, you couldnt lead with the helmet and strike another player in theirs... although maybe thats just a college rule.  But that was the turning point where it ceased being just a hotly contested game to one where it was out of control.  I actually thought the Shazier hit was just as egregious if not more so than Burfict's.  Burfict led with his shoulder and was actually going kind of low.  Brown's momentum brought him down so quickly and so far that his head dropped down to the level of Burfict's shoulder.  It was still dirty in the sense that it was a defenseless WR but if Burfict was really head hunting, he would have led with the crown of his helmet, like Shazier did, and then launched himself up towards Brown.  But he didnt do either.  He stayed low and led with his shoulder.  If the goal is to prevent head injuries they should call every single helmet to helmet hit where you drop your head.  You should always look at what you hit or else a penalty.  These personal foul calls are becoming just as random and arbitrary as holding.  

 

2) I'll fully admit I have no idea what constitutes a catch anymore, but I dont see how in the world Martavis Bryant's catch in the endzone was allowed to stand.  Sure it was very acrobatic and looked cool, but the ball was clearly moving up the back of his leg before he fully gained control.  He barely had one foot in let alone two.  Clear as day you could see the ball sliding up the back of his leg as his right foot was coming off the ground.  and he finally pinned it as the left foot was coming off the ground before the somersault.  You could hear the announcers were so focused on whether the he maintained control as he hit the ground that they forgot to look to see if he actually had control before his feet left the ground.  I'm betting the replay guy did the same thing.  But then again, I have no idea what is a catch anymore.  Seems like everyone is so focused on maintaining control and making a football move that maybe thats the new key element and actually possessing the ball first is irrelevant as long as you have two feet inbounds even if you're juggling.  

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