[Manfred the Wonder Dawg]

He's about 50-50 in his gripes. He gives no evidence to back up his whine about the many holding calls - were they legit?

The "pushing off" penalty was a legit call, which many rightfully observed that such an offense rarely pulls a flag. But the official was reaching for his flag BEFORE the defender starting dancing for a call.

I agree that Hasselback's flag for blocking below the knees was wrong. But my wife and I also agree that Rothelsberger's TD was a good call, albeit close.

As someone else rightfully put it: great teams do not let the officials determine the outcome. Seattle had a couple questionable and one or two bad calls go against them. But they earned most of their flags and Pittsburgh earned the victory.

[dead]

There's close and questionable calls in every game, but there's not usually this much whining about it.

[matymac]

Pittsburgh got a few lucky breaks with calls that could have went either way. Pittsburgh played like crap and they certainly benefited from those calls.

[Moonman62]

I agree that Hasselback's flag for blocking below the knees was wrong.

On the surface it looks that way, but I have a feeling that if the actual rule is looked up, it may be a good call.

[oldcomputerguy]

" The "pushing off" penalty was a legit call, "

That is the one I did not see. The others I saw were legit also. The writer has a case of sour grapes.

The only bad call was the blocking below the knees on Hasslebeck.

The touchdown by Rothlisberger was not over turnable. It appeared to me that he crossed the plane just at impact by the defensive player but well before he hit the ground. People who say he did not are looking too late in the replay.

The way I see it, both QBs threw disastrous interceptions near their own end zones and canceled out the turnover battle to a large extent.

Hasselbeck looked like a loose cannon late in the game and the Seahawks clock management sucked canal water.

[YoungCurmudgeon]

I think Rothelsberger got the debatable touchdown as well, but I think he clinched it with those pleading puppy eyes he flashed at the ref as he was stretching the ball back over the line.

[Defiant]

Seattle is right to whine about the pass interference, the holding and the cut-block calls. I think they did change the outcome of the game, and I was rooting for Pittsburgh.

However, because Pittsburgh won, everyone forgets that a Seattle receiver fumbled the ball early in the game, but it was called an incomplete pass and the refs blew the play dead. They also picked up a flag on a helmet to helmet hit, when another ref said it was a shoulder. There were a few bad calls, but I think it was just bad luck. In one big game, they sometimes don't even out.

[joyspring777]

The holding call was legit. You could see 53 for Pittsburgh being held coming around the outside, and he still almost got to Hasselbeck.

You gotta call that. The OL was beat, and he held. His fault, not the officials.

We all could see it on the replay. Most guys were probably looking at each other and hollering.