The Baltimore Ravens briefly thought they had a fourth-quarter lead against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.
But what was originally ruled a touchdown catch by Lamar Jackson’s Isaiah Likely was overturned on replay review. The Ravens didn’t score again in a 27-22 loss to the Steelers, which moved 7-6 Pittsburgh ahead of 6-7 Baltimore for first place in the AFC North.
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The Ravens, after briefly believing they had the game under control, were understandably unhappy with how things turned out. Head coach John Harbaugh was outraged on the sidelines. Jackson thought it was a touchdown and spoke candidly about his thoughts on the play after the game.
“Like I said, I thought it was a touchdown, man,” Jackson told reporters after the game. “But the referees made the call they wanted. They believed it was the right call. So it has to be followed. It’s got to stay locked in.
“If you were on the field with us, I’m sure you would have thought it was a touchdown as well. I can’t do the referee’s job. So, that’s what it is.”
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Meanwhile, Ravens receiver DeAndre Hopkins briefly took to social media after the game to express his thoughts.
“@NFL @NFLOffici 13 years in this league, how many steps do you have to take in the end zone to get a touchdown?” Hopkins wrote.
Hopkins’ position didn’t last long. His post was deleted shortly after. Labeling a league that fines officials for criticizing officials seems like a direct route to salary deductions, so perhaps Hopkins had better consideration for his criticism after his article.
But that’s what descendants are like.
@DeAndreHopkins
(@DeAndreHopkins)
Ravens running back Derrick Henry, meanwhile, took a less direct approach to voicing his displeasure with officials and may have just escaped the wrath of the NFL with his comments.
“It’s tough when the game is in the referee’s hands,” Henry told reporters in the dressing room after the game.
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Probably should have scored a touchdown?
This is problematic drama. When Baltimore faced a third-and-goal down 27-22, Jackson found Leckley in the middle of the end zone with a pass.
Likely caught the ball initially and then threw it twice before Joey Porter knocked the ball out of his hands. Commentator Tony Romo believed it was a score and called it “definitely a touchdown” during the first replay of the series on CBS.
The referee on the field raised both hands in real time to indicate that the score was ahead. But they concluded after replay that it was not a touchdown and overturned the call on the field. CBS rules analyst Gene Steratore went on the air to explain why the officials’ replay call was correct, much to Romo’s repeated frustration.
“Even though we’re in the end zone, guys, remember, in order to make this catch, he has to make all three elements of the catch,” Stratore said. “Probably had the ball. We saw two feet and it looked great here. Possession, two feet.
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“But he had to have time to make the football action or football action. It was because of that factor that they ruled he failed to complete the third element.”
NFL vice president of instant replay Mark Butterworth further explained the ruling in a pot report provided to reporter Jeff Zrebiec.
“The receiver keeps the ball in the air, puts his right foot down, then puts his left foot down,” Stratore said. “Control is the first aspect of catching the ball. The second aspect is having both feet or body parts in bounds, which he does have.
“Then the third step is a common action in the game. The ball was pulled out before the third foot landed. So, this is an incomplete pass.”
Ravens tight end Isaiah likely didn’t make the football move that led to the go-ahead touchdown against the Steelers on Sunday.
(Associated Press)
Football fans, especially Ravens fans, may not like it. But that’s the correct name for a game like this in the NFL. Officials may not always get it right, but this time they did. The catch is most likely not completed by stuffing the ball, turning around, or completing the third step.
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If he had stuffed the ball or completed the third down before Porter hit it, the touchdown would have stood. But he didn’t, the score was negated and the Ravens lost the game.
