Did anyone experience negative SERP movement after implementing rel=author?

Question

I am not intrested in why I don't see the picture in SERPs.

So I know this is borderline off-limits but I turned every stone in the web (including DDgo) trying to find anybody experiencing a worse position in SERPs after implementing rel=author tags.

In Google Webmaster Tools:

Everything seems fine but the first results dropped 14 places in SERPs in the past two days. The original landing page went down from first page to 5th page in a few days. It is a useful site with original content concerning marriage laws. This specific page is no where to be found and now the first result leads to the home page.

Assuming everything else is the same with no changes made to the site at all is there a reason the rel=author tag will cause such a plummet?

Additional info that might be useful:

• The google+ account is as dead as a palm pilot.

Answer 1

I can only assume why this happened since Google doesn't publish detailed information on their algorithms.

Google aims to personalize the web, remember all the +1 buttons in the web search, and after connecting your website with G+ accounts it is possible to match (not) existing contacts in the profile's circle with the person who searches. Probably you will have a better SERP result Google thinks that the person who is searching knows you. The counterpart is a lower general ranking.

Google connected my website and my G+ profile automatically and there was no change of SERPs...