Not necessarily tied to the Jags game, but the timing is good, so…
If you believe the refs/league is out to get us, why do you think that? What is their motivation?
Why would the league want to harm one of it’s most-beloved, most-decorated franchises, with a respected, stable family in ownership. The one thing that can take down a sports enterprise is the notion that game outcomes are predetermined. Why risk billions and billions of dollars, for sticking it to a particular team. Again, any money they could make with swaying the outcome of a game isn’t worth risking what they legitimately make.
Is it just Goodell? And if so, why? Is it a number of NFL office suits?
If the refs, why? Is it some personal dislike? Is the whole crew, directed by the Referee? Do individual crews dislike us more than others? And if so, why?
if the league is telling the refs to get us, why? And how is this direction transmitted? Obviously not via print or digital communications, which could be saved and used as evidence. Does someone from the league call the crew the day before? Does it happen during the game?
Do you realize that of all the people involved in all these games as officiants, league staff, players, and coaches, no one has ever - over several decades - come forward with evidence that the refs/league were out to get one team?
Is “Vegas” somehow involved? Does “Vegas” make a call to sway things? Who do they call? If you think so, are you also one of those who think Neil purposefully threw SB XXX (an assertion that persists despite that we still covered the spread)?
Do you recognize that every other fanbase in the NFL says the same thing about their team? And they each have their own reason as to why the refs are out to get them (which sound crazy when you listen to them)? And that they can all point to examples that they think are reasonable?
Do you realize that most of those fans assume the refs are in our pocket. Do you remember all the calls that went our way in SB 40?
I don’t think they are out to get us. Officiating league wise is pretty garbage. Every week there are games with obvious penalties that don’t get called, and then calls that tilt the specific drive or game in the favor of one team. Like that PI on Pierre at the begging of the game. That should have been a punt but they get a new set of downs and end up putting 3 over a late bad call
The Steelers have always lost to the Jags, even if they only went 3-13, they just rarely lose to Pittsburgh (or Indy). The refs definitely have to keep this narrative. Another thing is a lot of people had a pretty bad grudge about the off-field behavior of our last starting QB. I’m pretty sure these people came from all walks of life as well. Pretty sure quite a few nfl refs felt the same way about certain players off-field behavior and held it against them on the field. Oh yea I am 100% convinced they made damn sure Ben wasn’t getting another ring after his allegations. This sport is totally rigged. It’s not as rigged as college football but still rigged and scripted. Will they let someone other than the Taylor Swift Chiefs win the Super Bowl to let fans think it’s not rigged? Maybe…