EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – A penalty flag picked up in the last minute allowed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to beat the New York Giants 25-23 on Monday night at MetLife Stadium.
Giants coach Joe Judge thought it was the wrong call. Buc’s trainer Bruce Arians thought it was the right call. The officers thought it was a passport issue … and then they didn’t.
Tampa Bay Safety Antoine Winfield Jr. was originally marked with 28 seconds remaining on a 2-point conversion attempt that would have tied the game. Winfield collided with Giants running Dion Lewis right back in the end zone near the right sideline, either at the same time as the ball or perhaps a millisecond earlier, depending on your point of view. The ball fell incompletely.
“I thought [field judge] Nate [Jones] I made the right call when he threw the flag, “said the judge.” So I’m not sure why she was picked up. We had a pretty good view. I know they can’t use the jumbotron for a replay. We also had a pretty clear view of it. I thought Nate made the right call the first time. Usually your first instinct is correct. “
The buccaneers (6-2) celebrated after the officers gathered and decided to raise the flag. They thought it was a clean piece.
They didn’t want to complain about the officials’ change of heart.
“Well, the ball hit Antoine in the back. There were no pass disruptions for me – I thought it would be a good call,” said Arians. “I don’t know why it took so long, but he had his hands out, there was no contact and the ball hit him in the back.”
Tampa Bay quarterback Tom Brady agreed. He attributed a “game-saving game” to Winfield.
It was still a controversial end to a wild game. It’s not every day that an officer overrides another in such a crucial game. But that’s exactly what happened in this case.
“The auxiliary judge [Eugene Hall] had thrown the flag at the game and came to the Down Judge [Jerod Phillips] Who was on that side of the goal line, “said referee Brad Rogers.” The communication between the touch judge and the down judge was that the defender contacted the receiver at the same time the ball came in. And clearly in order to have a defensive passing disorder it has to be early and hinder the recipient’s ability to make the catch. “
The officials thought it was clear enough to lift the flag.
“You want to make sure it meets the passport disorder qualifications,” Rogers said. “And in our communication in the field, the Down Judge and Side Judge communicated about the action and felt it was appropriate to raise that flag.”
It certainly took the giants by surprise. The judge could be seen yelling at the officials after the game.
Quarterback Daniel Jones said he thought he would have one more opportunity to force a draw that would likely have sent the game into overtime. Instead, the Giants (1-7) lost another heartbreaker, which turned out to be costly for Jones’ sales.
“I thought it was a passport disorder,” said Jones. “I was surprised when they recorded it. We’re going to see it and learn from it, I think. See what you saw, but tough pause.
“I was definitely surprised. You don’t see that often. I was surprised.”
But everything seems to be a matter of perspective, or in this case, team membership.
“The referees,” said Bucs linebacker Lavonte David, “in my opinion did the right thing and lifted the flag.”
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