5 most questionable calls by NFL referees
The NFL features many tightly contested games, especially in the postseason, where one play can be the difference between winning and losing. These razor-thin margins make it crucial for referees to get every call correct, as it can directly impact the result of a game and the outcome of a team’s season.
While NFL referees generally do a good job, there have been several instances where a call has been so bad that it has outraged the fans.
Here are five such cases.
2021 NFL Wild Card Round - Cincinnati Bengals vs. Las Vegas Raiders
At the end of the first half, the Cincinnati Bengals had the ball in Las Vegas Raiders territory. Quarterback Joe Burrow rolled all the way out to the right sideline and fired a pass just before stepping out of bounds, which ended in a Tyler Boyd touchdown. The play was clean, but one of the refs made an error by blowing the whistle, thinking Burrow was out of bounds.
Jerome Boger and the crew are not expected to officiate another NFL postseason game this season👀
https://t.co/0EN9WGOpPe
The play should have been ruled dead, but instead the officiating crew ruled that the whistle wasn't blown until after the touchdown. This was incorrect and the touchdown shouldn't have counted.
2019 NFC Championship - New Orleans Saints vs. Los Angeles Rams
Late in the fourth quarter of the 2019 NFC Championship Game, Drew Brees led the New Orleans Saints on a potential game-winning drive. He threw a pass into the end zone late in the game to Tommylee Lewis, and Los Angeles Rams cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman clearly committed pass interference, but there was no flag on the play.
The Saints settled for a field goal and eventually went on to lose the game. Had pass interference been called, the Saints would have been able to run down the clock before attempting a game-winning field goal with no time left. Instead, they kicked a field goal to go ahead, leaving enough time on the clock for the Rams to drive down the field and kick a field goal of their own. This led to overtime, where the Rams won.