NFL referees under fire after controversial weekend, capped by Giants-Commanders debacle

It’s not easy to be an NFL referee.

With just seconds remaining in Sunday’s Washington Commanders-New York Giants game, Commanders running back Brian Robinson ran in what appeared to be a potentially game-tying touchdown against the Giants.

But NFL referee John Hussey called the play back because of a technicality — Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin was not completely on the line of scrimmage when the ball was snapped and called for an illegal formation penalty.

McLaurin didn’t figure into the play and said he checked with the line judge to make sure he was in the right position, but was penalized anyway.

“I checked to see if I was good the first time, and he was like, ‘Move up a little bit,’” McLaurin told reporters after the game. “So when I moved up, I checked to see if I was good, and he said I was good.”

Two plays later, on fourth down, it was obvious to everyone — including NBC announcers Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth — that Giants defender Darnay Holmes committed pass interference on Commanders wide receiver Curtis Samuel. The penalty would’ve given the Commanders a first down at the 1-yard line down by eight points, but because the referees missed the call, the Giants were able to run out the clock and end the game.

“It’s clearly a foul,” NBC rules analyst and former NFL referee Terry McAulay said on Sunday Night Football. “He grabs his arm, he plays through the back, it’s clearly before the ball gets there.”

After the game, Hussey said that pass interference was basically a judgment call the crew decided not to make on that play.

“To the officials it didn’t rise to what they felt was a restriction, thus they didn’t call it,” Hussey said in a pool report. “That’s basically the bottom line there. It’s a judgment call and they didn’t believe it was pass interference.”

“Sick and tired of refs deciding games,” former Patriots receiver turned CBS Sports analyst Julian Edelman tweeted following the game. “Clean it up NFL.”

Referees made what many thought was an equally-bad call during the Las Vegas Raiders last-second win against the New England Patriots, which ended on a thrilling stolen lateral returned for a touchdown with no time remaining.

The Raiders tied the game a few minutes earlier on a 30-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Derek Carr to wide receiver Keelan Cole. It seemed pretty clear watching the broadcast that Cole’s left foot stepped on the line, which would’ve meant it was an incomplete pass. But, official Walt Anderson said after the game there was no “clear and obvious” evidence to overturn the call, and the touchdown stood.

After the game, Las Vegas Review Journal photographer shared a photo he took of Cole on that play From his vantage point, it appears his foot came down on the chalk in the end zone, which would’ve made it an incomplete pass.

On Saturday, during the Minnesota Vikings’ thrilling 33-point comeback win against the Indianapolis Colts, the referees made two calls that almost cost the Vikings the victory.

Midway through the fourth quarter, with the Vikings down by 15, officials called back a long punt return by former Eagles receiver Jalen Reagor because of a supposed facemask by Kris Boyd. On replay, it seems clear Boyd didn’t make contact with the player’s facemask.

Referees also called back two touchdowns by Vikings cornerback Chandon Sullivan.

The first happened in the second quarter, when the Vikings were down 23-0. Sullivan stripped Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman and ran it back 40 yards. But the touchdown was called back because referees blew the whistle, saying Pittman’s forward progress had been stopped.

The second was late in the fourth quarter. Sullivan grabbed another fumble, this time by Deon Jackson, and ran it back 39-yards for a touchdown. Refs blew the play dead, ruling that Jackson was down by contact before losing the football, but later overturned it after watching replays that showed the ball was clearly out. But because of NFL rules, the Vikings were awarded the football, but not the touchdown.

“I’m so glad we won, but @NFL I need a real explanation,” Sullivan tweeted after the game. “I need a real explanation. I got robbed twice of touchdowns in critical points of the game!”