Did referee help New England Patriots avoid penalty on blocked field goal?

[KamaAina]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/shutdown-corner/did-referee-help-new-england-patriots-avoid-penalty-on-blocked-field-goal-135517403.html

The Jets' game-winning 58-yard field-goal attempt was blocked in the waning moments by a player, the Patriots' Chris Jones, who was penalized in a similar situation last year against the Jets. In 2013, the rookie defensive tackle was assessed a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty for pushing a teammate over the Jets' long snapper on Nick Folk's 56-yard try.

After the penalty following a missed kick, Folk made his second try from 41 yards, and the Jets beat the Patriots in overtime. The rule was put in place for safety's sake, to protect the neck and head of the long snapper, who can be vulnerable to a powerful rush in a compromising position. ...

Jones' clean and legal block was a huge save and act of redemption for a hard-working, little-recognized player who quietly has become a key cog for the Patriots, who are shorthanded at defensive tackle. The block came on his 62nd snap of the night, 50 of them coming on defense as the Jets dominated time of possession....

But were the Patriots aided by the referees just prior to the kick?

[trotsky]

1. It's definitely an interesting situation.

The refs don't warn defenders that they're lined up in the neutral zone prior to a play. They don't warn an offense when they're about to have 12 men in the huddle. They let both things happen and then throw the flag.

[KamaAina]

3. From the article:

This is a more common thing than you'd think. Officials are not in the business of helping players get out of a penalized position — other than, say, letting a wide receiver know if he's offsides when they ask — but they are in the business to help protect the safety of the game as best they can.

That's really what happened here. Although Hightower was off the line, he did bubble the long snapper, and the referee's judgment was that Hightower could have compromised Purdum's healthy (sic) had he rushed from his head-up position.

[joeybee12]

4. You're a stirrer of sh*t

Move along, nothing to see.