By Sonny Jones
Would the Cleveland Browns still have beaten the Carolina Panthers without one phantom call and one incorrect ruling on the final drive? Who knows?
What is known is the officiating decisions greatly assisted setting up Cade York’s 58 yard game-winning field goal in a 26-24 Cleveland victory Sunday at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.
The decisive drive began when Carolina’s Brian Burns was called for a roughing the passer penalty that moved the ball to the 40. Video replay showed that Burns did not make contact with the head or neck area of Cleveland quarterback Jacoby Brissett, although referee Brad Rogers told a pool reporter the call was made “because there was forcible contact to the head and neck area.”
Then, with the ball on Carolina’s 40 and the clock running with less than 20 seconds remaining, Brissett took a step back with his right leg before spiking the ball to stop the clock. A flag was thrown, but, after consultation, officials ruled that Brissett’s spike was legal.
“After discussion, we determined that stepping back does not disqualify the quarterback from spiking the ball and we allowed him to do that by rule,” Rogers said.
However, NFL Rule 8 Section 2 Item 3 states “Stopping Clock. A player under center is permitted to stop the game clock legally to save time if, immediately upon receiving the snap, he begins a continuous throwing motion and throws the ball directly into the ground.”
And Item 4 reads “Delayed Spike. A passer, after delaying his passing action for strategic purposes, is prohibited from throwing the ball to the ground in front of him, even though he is under no pressure from defensive rusher(s).”
If intentional grounding had been called, it would have been a 10 yard penalty, which would have put the ball at midfield, and 10 seconds would have been run off the clock, which would have left 3 seconds to play. The game clock would have started on the ready-for-play signal. Could the Browns have gotten off the snap and York kick a 68 yard game-winner? We’ll never know.
I’ve never been one to blame officiating for losses and I don’t think officials cheat or have a preference for one team. They, like the players and coaches, make mistakes.
If Baker Mayfield doesn’t have four passes deflected or doesn’t throw an interception in the first half, maybe the Panthers have a lead. If Carolina’s C.J. Henderson doesn’t commit an unnecessary pass interference in the end zone in the first half and, instead, the Panthers intercept the pass, then, perhaps, the entire game changes. If the Panthers score a touchdown on their final drive instead of Eddy Pineiro’s 34-yard field goal for a 24-23 lead, then a field goal doesn’t beat them.
We can play this game all day. If a frog had wings, then he wouldn’t … well, you know the rest.
However, it’s clear those two decisions, especially the phantom roughing the passer call, hurt a Panthers team that desperately needs victories after three consecutive five-win seasons.
Sunday, Carolina had a chance to open 2022 with a win. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen and it will be interesting to see what happens to the Panthers from here.
MONDAY’S PICK TO CLICK
Atlanta’s Kyle Wright will rebound from an atypical start Sept. 6 against Oakland when he allowed eight runs in four innings. Against San Francisco, he’ll be more like the pitcher who allowed only three runs in 26 innings in his four previous starts.
SUNDAY’S PICK: Baker Mayfield will throw 2 touchdowns and pass for 250 yards in leading the Carolina Panthers to a season-opening win against his former team, the Cleveland Browns. RESULTS: Mayfield was 16 of 27 passing for 235 yards, one touchdown and one interception as the Panthers lost 26-24 on Cade York”s 58-yard field goal.
WHAT TO WATCH TODAY
• MLB: LA Angels at Cleveland, 6 p.m., or Houston at Detroit, 6:40 p.m., MLBN
• NFL: Denver at Seattle, 8:15 p.m., ABC, ESPN, ESPN2
• MLB: Atlanta at San Francisco or LA Dodgers at Arizona, 9:30 p.m., MLBN
Sonny Jones can be reached at wibbyj@gmail.com and follow on Twitter @FOSonnyJones.
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