Speaking with reporters on a conference call on Tuesday morning, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick declined to comment on the controversial call that ended New England's 24-20 loss to the Carolina Panthers.
From the onset of the conversation, Belichick maintained that he and his team were not going to linger over a decision that was out of their control.
“I don’t really have any comment about today the officiating or any of those calls,” Belichick said. “If you have any questions on that, you can talk to the league office, the officiating department, let them give their explanation on them. It’s not really our job to call the games, it’s to play it and coach it. There are calls they make, and those are the ones we live with. We can’t let that affect what we’re doing.”
MORE: Cam Newton shines in career-defining moment | Must-see images
When pressed further about referee Clete Blakeman's explanation of why he picked up the flag after initially calling Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly for pass interference, the Pats' head coach still wouldn't bite.
“That’s what I just said, I don’t really have any other comment on that,” Belichick said. “Whatever the officials think is the only thing that matters. It doesn’t matter what any of us think. They’re the ones who make the calls, so it’s their explanation, their judgment that we all have to abide by.”
Belichick also declined to say whether he believed Tom Brady's final pass for tight end Rob Gronkowski was catchable or not, but one thing he did make clear is that his team has already shifted its focus toward the matchup with the Denver Broncos on Sunday night.
“We’ve got to turn the page here quickly and turn to Denver,” Belichick said. “Move on to Denver, have another good week of preparation, get ready to go next week.”
PHOTOS: Manning-Brady through the years
The Broncos are tied for first atop the AFC West, and with another Brady-Manning duel just less than a week away, the media circus is going to continue up in Foxborough.