Here’s some other boneheaded decisions yesterday, taken from Theblaze.com
-At Nashville, with 16 seconds remaining in regulation, Detroit’s Shaun Hill threw to Nate Burleson on the sideline and he then lost the ball. It looked to be a completion then a fumble because the side judge threw his beanie, but another official ruled an incomplete pass. Titans CB Alterraun Verner had grabbed the ball and started to run and there were questions why the replay booth didn’t review it.
-Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo fumbled twice on plays in the third quarter that weren’t initially ruled turnovers until challenged by Tampa Bay coach Greg Schiano.
First, Romo was in the grasp of Gerald McCoy with his right arm extended, when he flicked the ball forward in what was initially ruled an incomplete pass. Officials watched the replay and determined the ball was loose when Romo tried to push it out, and called it a fumble recovered by Gary Gibson at the 19.
Later, Michael Bennett sacked Romo and knocked the ball loose, but officials quickly whistled the play dead and Romo down even as Eric Wright ran toward the end zone with the football.
After Schiano challenged, officials reversed it to a fumble recovered at the 31, and the Bucs failed to score.
“They blew it dead. But the refs are doing a great job,” McCoy said. “A lot of people are complaining. We’ve got what we got. Everyone needs to accept it. They’re trying their hardest. No ref wants to go out there and make a bad call.”
-Raiders receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey was taken to the hospital with a neck injury after a helmet-to-helmet hit from Steelers safety Ryan Mundy that was not penalized.
Heyward-Bey was running across the end zone early in the fourth quarter to catch a pass from Carson Palmer when Mundy launched his body and lowered his helmet into Heyward-Bey’s facemask. Heyward-Bey’s neck jerked violently and his head also crashed into the ground. The pass was incomplete.
“Once again, the refs missed it, like they always do,” Oakland defensive tackle Tommy Kelly said.
-Dolphins tight end Anthony Fasano was ruled to have made a catch near the Jets’ goal line and the call was held up after review, even though the ball touched the ground as he was tackled.
“Well, I think the fact that we have to talk about it after every game is something right there,” Vikings linebacker Chad Greenway said. “I don’t think in my seven-year career that I’ve had to do that ever. So that probably tells you the story right there.”
