Were the Detroit Lions cheated out of a win against the Ravens due to a refereeing error?
The Detroit Lions lost to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday by the closest of the margins. Ravens kicker Justin Tucker converted the longest field goal in NFL history, nailing a 66-yarder as time expired to give Baltimore the lead and the win.
Lions fans were proud of how the team played, taking the Ravens down to the wire despite the significant talent disparity between the two sides. However, they are disappointed that the play clock for Lamar Jackson's throwaway before Tucker's game-winning field goal hit 0 before the ball was snapped and the officials did not throw a flag.
Had the delay-of-game penalty been called, the Ravens would have had to go five yards back, which would have set up a nearly impossible 71-yard field goal try.
@YahooSports Hadn’t even thought about snapping the ball yet when play clock is at 0! https://t.co/flBEZqZrIj
Were the Lions robbed?
The Ravens should have been penalized for delay of game on that play and everyone in the CBS crew discussing the play agreed. CBS rules analyst and former NFL official Gene Steratore went on to explain how the process regarding the play clock works, but he couldn't defend the gaffe his former colleagues committed on that play:
“The back judge will be looking at the play clock and then taking his eyes back down to the ball. When he sees zero on the play clock he will move his head directly down to the football. That snap needs to occur right at that time. So is there an extra second built in there? Yeah there is … it does feel like that’s a little longer than your normal progression.”
Boomer Esiason, who was also commentating on the game, was less than happy with Steratore's alleged defense of the mistake:
"Go tell that to Dan Campbell in that locker room.”
Lions fans were not happy about the non-call either:
Doink inside this is one of the most egregious missed delay of games I've ever seen and should have given the Lions a win. https://t.co/xUnZBmfrKH
Dean gets it - #HireBlandino twitter.com/DeanBlandino/s…
Had the Ravens been penalized, they would have likely attempted a hail mary. While that doesn't mean the Lions were assured a win, the conversion rate for a hail mary is extremely low.
Lions coach Dan Campbell was understandably furious with the no-call, telling the Detroit Free Press:
“Tomorrow, you’ll get an apology, and it doesn’t mean anything. That’s life, and that’s the hand we were dealt. We still had an opportunity to — that was fourth-and-long (a few plays earlier), a long way to go, and we gave it up.”
Referees are humans and, like us, they make mistakes. But this is already the second time this season where an uncalled penalty has had an enormous impact on the outcome of a game.
The league and these referees have to be more consistent. Lions fans are unhappy with the result of the game and they deserve to feel cheated.