Report: NFL tells Giants that referees erred on two calls
New York Giants cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (41) is called for pass interferance against Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Terrance Williams (83) during the second half onSept. 13, 2015, in Arlington, Texas. Credit: AP
Eli Manning and Tom Coughlin weren't the only ones flubbing their jobs on Sunday night.
Kim Jones of the NFL Network reported on Thursday that the league admitted to the Giants its officials blew two critical calls in the game against the Cowboys, calls that likely would have affected the outcome.
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Eli Manning and Tom Coughlin weren't the only ones flubbing their jobs on Sunday night.
Kim Jones of the NFL Network reported on Thursday that the league admitted to the Giants its officials blew two critical calls in the game against the Cowboys, calls that likely would have affected the outcome.
The first was a pass interference flag against Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie in the third quarter the NFL now says should not have been thrown. The second was a non-call for holding on tight end Daniel Fells on the infamous third-and-goal play late in the fourth quarter.
"That's just one you have to live with," Rodgers-Cromartie said. "That was a tough one."
The flag against DRC was a real momentum-swinger. The Giants were up 16-6 and Rodgers-Cromartie appeared to knock down a pass from Tony Romo to Terrence Williams in the end zone on third-and-4. Instead of settling for a likely field goal at that point, the Cowboys were given first-and-goal at the 2. Romo threw a touchdown pass on the next play to make it 16-13.
"That was a critical time in the game," Rodgers-Cromartie said. "You go from third down to giving them a first down and they're going in. From possibly kicking a field goal to getting seven. It was definitely a crucial point in the game."
Rodgers-Cromartie said he examined the play and thought there were things he could have done to not allow the officials to flag him.
"It definitely hurt," he said, "but you have to learn from it, understand what he's seeing and try not to do it again."
As for the Fells flag, the tight end was grabbed in the end zone on the third-down pass. Cris Collinsworth, calling the game for NBC, pointed out that if Manning had thrown the ball closer to Fells he might have gotten the call. Instead Manning threw it away in the back of the end zone.
Of course, as we all know now, the Giants shouldn't have been passing on that play anyway. And if the call against DRC had been correct, they probably wouldn't have been in that situation to begin - and end - with.