We all saw the scrum between the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday night, with imposing alpha males pushing and shoving and, eventually, running over the smaller guys in stripes who were just trying to keep the peace.
Yeah, it was a rough Sunday for NFL officials on national television.
That moment in the Packers win over the Steelers was the snapshot of the NFL Week 8 Sunday lineup for officials. Because it was noticeable and embarrassing — just like some of the bad calls and questionable calls we saw that frustrated players and coaches across the league.
And, yes, every football weekend is filled with questionable calls. But these calls came in signature games. On national telecasts. And in prime time.
Packers Offsides But No Call
Let’s look at some of those in reverse chronological order, shall we?
There was the obvious offsides penalty against the Packers against the Steelers on Sunday Night Football. The entire nation saw Green Bay defensive linemen jump into the neutral zone on third-and-eight.
But no one on the officiating crew saw it.
Aaron Rodgers, expecting a free play, took a shot down the field that fell incomplete, but he expected to get another chance on third-and-three after the penalty was walked off. It didn’t happen.
“We had a nice drive there to end the first half, and then, you know, this didn’t decide the game, but the one play I don’t know — it seemed like the guy was offsides on third-and-eight and we didn’t come up with the catch,” Rodgers said. “They didn’t make a penalty call. Then we punt it, and they hit a kind of wild play to (Tucker Kraft) to kind of get back in the game.
“That was like a big momentum turn.”
Giants On Wrong End Of Calls
The Giants clearly felt like their game against the Eagles was tainted by a couple of calls they believe were wrong and affected the outcome.
And, yes, we saw it because the game was televised nationally on FOX.
With 9:46 left in the game and the Giants trailing 31-13, quarterback Jaxson Dart completed what everyone on the New York sideline believed was a 68-yard TD pass to Darius Slay.
Except the touchdown was nullified by offensive pass interference on Slay that looked like, well, two guys — the receiver and defensive back — merely hand fighting before the ball arrived.
Coach Brian Daboll accepted the call with poise and moved on to the next play. No, he didn’t.
He just about lost his mind, coming off the sideline and sharing his colorful thoughts with officials. It was that kind of day for the G-Men.
Tush Push Fumble That Wasn’t
Earlier in the game, the Eagles attempted one of their signature Tush Push plays, and it seemed as if quarterback Jalen Hurts fumbled the ball and the Giants recovered. Except officials ruled no fumble.
Hurts, fighting for yards, stretched the ball out before his body touched the ground. But officials ruled the quarterback’s forward progress stopped, ending the play before the fumble happened.
The FOX crew, including Tom Brady and officiating expert Dean Blandino, agreed progress had not been stopped before the whistle was blown.
Reporters asked players and Daboll multiple questions about the officiating. The coach declined “to get into the particulars” for fear of being fined.
“That was some bulls–t to me,” Kayvon Thibodeaux said.
Veteran Brian Burns told the younger player he’d get fined.
“Sorry,” Thibodeaux pivoted. “That’s a great call by the ref.”
Buccaneers Scoop And Score Nullified
On the bright side, one official admitted to Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles that he blew it (literally) by mistake.
Bucs safety Antoine Winfield picked up a fumble and returned it for a touchdown against the New Orleans Saints. Except officials nullified the score because, they said, they had blown the play dead.
Except, no one heard a whistle. And even if one had been blown, it was a mistake.
“I’m still pissed off over some of it, but that’s tough sledding,” Bucs coach Todd Bowles said. “We got to do something. We’ll discuss that with the league and go from there.”
Bowles added an official admitted the play stopped over an “erroneous whistle.”
“I got no answers for that,” Bowles said.
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