The NFL officiating crews continue to blow calls every week without any accountability. This week it cost the Buccaneers a victory; when will it stop?
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers forced the Tennessee Titans into a field goal attempt to keep the game within reach and one-score. The Titans run a fake, linebacker Devin White sniffs it out, forces a fumble, and Andrew Adams returns it for the go ahead touchdown! Except the NFL officiating strikes again!
On September 28th, the NFL and the NFL Referees Association finalized a seven-year collective bargaining agreement which would run through May 31, 2026. The good news is that the NFL players collective bargaining agreement is up for renewal and negotiations are continuously ongoing between the NFL and the NFL Players Association. The bad news is there could potentially be a strike coming up unless the NFL does something about its officiating.
Bad officiating has always been a thing but it has recently become a big talking point around the league in the NFL. Last year in the NFC Championship game, the referees did not call pass interference on Los Angeles Rams cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman as he laid out New Orleans Saints Wide Receiver TommyLee Lewis late in the fourth quarter which would eventually lead to the Los Angeles Rams winning on a game winning field goal in overtime.
Earlier this season, the referees robbed the Detroit Lions of a win against the Green Bay Packers when they called illegal hands to the face on Lions defensive end Trey Flowers late in the fourth quarter which set up a game winning field goal by Packers kicker Mason Crosby as time expired.
Yesterday, the referees more than likely cost the Buccaneers a win against the Titans when they did not let the play run it’s course on the forced fumble. The ball was clearly out and live, and the officials stole six points from the pewter and red; when will it stop?
"That's gonna be a no for me, dawg" - Devin, probably#GoBucs | #TBvsTEN pic.twitter.com/G87WG0I92Y
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) October 27, 2019
Head coach Bruce Arians could have challenged this play but only for recovery of a fumble. If the replay showed that the runner was not down by contact, the Buccaneers would’ve received the ball where the fumble was recovered but the ball could not be advanced due to the initial ruling. This play was the biggest deciding factor of the game as the touchdown would’ve put the Bucs up 29-27 with a little over three minutes left in the fourth quarter.
An explanation of the fourth-and-two play in the 4th quarter of #TBvsTEN: pic.twitter.com/QT1yIG9MPP
— NFL Officiating (@NFLOfficiating) October 27, 2019
The NFL referees need to be held accountable just like the players are. If a player gets fined or suspended for something they’ve done, then the officials should receive the same exact treatment. It’s time for the NFL to take action against bad calls. The continuous cycle of bad calls is killing both the league and the fans who support each and every week.