Raven Coach Is Raving Mad Over Replay

Burned twice by replay calls Sunday, Baltimore Raven Coach Brian Billick called for the end of instant replay to determine the outcome of questionable calls.

Billick challenged two calls a week ago in a game against Cincinnati, and both calls went against him. He also had two calls go against him Sunday in a 26-6 win over the Denver Broncos.

First, the Broncos successfully challenged an apparent touchdown catch by Baltimore’s Todd Heap.

Then, Billick challenged a third-quarter call in which the officials ruled Heap dropped the ball.

In the latter case, the Ravens lost a timeout because the call was not overturned.

“I quit. I give up,” Billick said.

“I’ve tried to be an advocate for instant replay. I’ve tried to do the company line. I’ve said the right things.

“Dump the whole thing. We have spent so much money on this thing and it doesn’t work. I’ve tried.

“League,” he said, looking skyward, “I’m sorry. I’ve tried to hold the line. Dump it. Get rid of the whole damn thing because it doesn’t work.”

Six days earlier, Billick sounded off against replay after Baltimore receiver Frank Sanders apparently tackled Cincinnati cornerback Tory James after an interception, but referee Johnny Grier ruled otherwise after watching the replay.

“I don’t know that Johnny wasn’t looking at pictures of his kids in that little booth,” Billick said.

“I’m still an advocate of instant replay, but I’ve long been an advocate of taking it off the field. Let’s take it upstairs,” Billick said.

“With the current system, I’ve got to expend a timeout, embarrass the officials and throw a red flag out on the field, let him go in and look at God knows what on the Internet, and come out and tell me I didn’t get a definitive view to overrule it.”

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The Eagles’ 24-17 victory over the New York Jets on Sunday in Philadelphia marked the first meeting of the teams in Philadelphia since Nov. 12, 1978 -- 25 years ago.

Jet Coach Herman Edwards played cornerback for the Eagles in that game. The 25-year time span between games is the longest between two teams at one site in NFL history.

Under the scheduling formula adopted last year, all teams are now guaranteed to play each other on a rotating home and away basis at least twice over an eight-year period.

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Marc Bulger, 11-2 as the St. Louis Rams’ starting quarterback, completed 22 of 37 passes for 375 yards and one touchdown in their 33-21 victory over the Steelers on Sunday. In 1998, Bulger passed for 409 yards and six touchdowns against Pittsburgh. That would be the University of Pittsburgh. Bulger was with West Virginia at the time.

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Times wire services contributed to this report.