Robert Griffin III demands NFL rule change after controversial Ravens-Bengals ending
The NFL has been under fire all season for issues surrounding officiating . Multiple games have been heavily influenced, and sometimes completely decided, by missed calls from the referees . Thursday Night Football featured another one of those plays that will continue the conversation around the league's officiating woes.
Former NFL QB Robert Griffin III lashed out at NFL officiating after a crucial two-point conversion featured multiple missed penalties .
"The Cincinnati Bengals should have had another opportunity to convert on that extra point," RG3 wrote on social media. "Two clear penalties were missed and the hit to the face could have easily been called a foul if replay review was a rule. so we can have games end without these obvious missed calls."
Cincinnati scored a touchdown with 38 seconds left in the game. Coach Zac Taylor decided to go a two-point conversion and win the game. The play resulted in a Joe Burrow pass towards tight end Tanner Hudson falling incomplete.
Unfortunately, the referees missed multiple fouls on the play. These include a clear hold against tight end Mike Gesicki and a roughing-the-passer penalty as Burrow was hit in the helmet after his throw.
Prime Video's officiating analyst Terry McAulay, who is himself a former NFL official , said that both fouls were missed.
"It was clearly defensive holding before the pass was in flight, that should have been called," McAulay said on the broadcast. "And that does look like forceful contact to the head of the quarterback. That's a personal [foul]. That's roughing the passer and should have been called."
Al Michaels hit the nail on the head when describing how these situations feel for NFL fans.
"Too many games end this way," Michaels said on the broadcast after the bungled two-point conversion attempt. "It's so frustrating to the fans. So frustrating."
NFL officiating blunder could have huge ramifications in AFC North divisional race
These missed calls could have huge ramifications for the AFC North divisional race.
Cincinnati came into this game 4-5 and desperate for a win. Meanwhile, Baltimore entered at 6-3 and in a much more comfortable position. The result of this game puts Baltimore at seven wins and Cincinnati says at four wins.
To be clear, Cincinnati's path back to relevance is a long road that is not decided by only one game. However, winning against the Ravens would have put the Bengals right back into the mix in the AFC North.
It will be interesting to keep track of this game and see if the AFC North divisional standings would have been different at the end of the season if this game had a different result.
