Referee Jerome Boger and the team of officials who worked on the playoff game between the Las Vegas Raiders and the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday are not expected to officiate again this season after their problematic performance on Saturday, marred by a blow controversial whistle, advances the ESPN network.
The NFL rates officials after every game, and Boger and his team are unlikely to receive high marks for Saturday, when they ruled a whistle occurred after Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd caught a touchdown pass from Joe Burrow, although the replays seem to show otherwise.
The league usually takes officials assigned to the second round of the playoffs to work at the Super Bowl. But officials who score well in this weekend’s first round of playoffs could and would be considered for the Super Bowl.
A league source told ESPN that she wasn’t surprised by Boger’s performance, as others across the league have made comments to that effect at various times this season. The NFL has also reportedly been criticized for mixing up its referee teams in playoff games by taking officials from different teams and having them work together.
Boyd’s touchdown gave Cincinnati a 20-6 lead just under two minutes from the end of the first half on Saturday. Burrow ran to his right to avoid the pressure and threw the ball close to the sideline. Play continued despite an erroneous whistle from an official, who believed Burrow had gone out of bounds. Boyd caught the 10-yard pass deep in the end zone and the touchdown was confirmed despite protests from the Raiders.
Walt Anderson, the NFL’s senior vice president for officiating, said after the game that Boger and his team “didn’t believe the whistle was blown before the receiver caught the ball.”
Unintentional and/or erroneous whistles are not reviewable under current NFL video replay rules.
The Bengals held off a late Raiders push late in the game and posted a 26-19 win, their first playoff victory in 31 years.
