Hot on the heels of the debacle in Saturday’s Cowboys vs. Lions game, NFL officials are again the center of controversy. This time, over a call in the Indianapolis Colts 23-20 win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.
With the Colts leading 20-13 and only 3:11 remaining, Indianapolis attempted a pivotal 50-yard field goal after the Raiders held on a big third down. Colts kicker Matt Gay’s attempt hit the right upright, and Las Vegas appeared to hold with an opportunity to get the ball back with a chance to tie the game.
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However, a flag against Raiders cornerback Jack Jones for an alleged offside on the kick negated the miss, giving the Colts a second opportunity. Gay successfully converted the kick on his second attempt from five yards closer, giving the Colts a two-score lead at 23-13.
Upon review, however, the call against Jones appears questionable. Replays show Jones lined up, not offsides and his jump off the line of scrimmage appears in sync with the snap, suggesting a perfectly timed play rather than a penalty. Once again, NFL officials are at the core of controversy due to inconsistencies in calling penalties.
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Jones was quick to call out that he wasn’t offside in comments to the Las Vegas Review-Journal‘s Vinny Bonsignore on video after the game.
“There was no explanation,” Jones said from the locker room at Lucas Oil Stadium when asked about the call. “Tell them to go watch the tape, though. Nowhere close to offsides.”
This contentious call drew cautious comments from Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce, who avoided criticism to evade a fine. Openly criticizing NFL officials carries with it hefty fines imposed by the league.
“I didn’t see it,” Pierce said after the game. “They called it so, I mean, it went against us. Obviously, something happened for them to make [the call]. It was too close.”
The Raiders managed a late touchdown, but it wasn’t enough to tie the game due to the earlier penalty. Instead, they were left chasing the game, eventually falling short as the Colts secured the onside kick.
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This incident adds to the ongoing frustration around NFL officials and their decisions, especially given the potential impact on teams fighting for the final playoff spots or for key playoff seedings. The 2023 season has seen an increased number of egregious calls leading many to call for full-time officials and punishments to crews who miss calls.
In the Detroit vs. Dallas game, many called for NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, who does have the power to overrule the results of a game, to step in and make it right, but Goodell continues to stand behind the NFL officials despite growing sentiment something must be done.
