The NFL replacement ref experiment is quickly reaching a crisis level it seems…
During the Lions 44-41 Lions loss in OT yesterday to the Titans, the refs gave Tennessee an 12 yards during their only possession in overtime which resulted in field goal. The mix-up happened when the refs incorrectly spotted the ball after calling linebacker Stephen Tulloch for a personal foul helmet-to-helmet hit which should’ve been a 15 yard penalty. Instead it turned into a 27 yard penalty with the extra yardage added to the end.
Schwartz later told the media that his pleas to re-spot the ball went unanswered (via the Detroit Free Press)
“I kept on trying to alert them to that fact,” Schwartz said after the Lions’ 44-41 loss. “It’s overtime, I can’t challenge anything.
“Obviously, there was a miscommunication, I don’t know what you call it from an enforcement standpoint. As soon as the play was declared incomplete, it should have been a 15-yard (mark-off) from the play before.”
Now of course this was a tremendously bad call by the replacement officials and just adds to the growing list of mistakes that have been made so far this season. However don’t think this is something that the actual NFL officials would never do. Last season during the San Francisco/Detroit game from Ford Field the refs gave the Niners extra unearned yardage during a drive that ended up winning them the game.
h/t: Detroit Free Press