The NFL came under scrutiny at the end of the last Sunday night’s game between the Commanders and the Giants following a series of controversial calls made by the officiating crew. However, the league has supposedly admitted to making a mistake on Washington’s final offensive play, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero.
The play at the center of the controversy was an incomplete pass into the end zone on fourth-and-6 intended for Commanders receiver Curtis Samuel. Giants cornerback Danny Holmes had his arm draped across Samuel’s upper-body on the play, but no flag was thrown and New York was able to kneel out the game to seal a 20–12 win.
Though no penalty was awarded at the time, the league told the Commanders that officials should have called pass interference on the play, according to Rapoport and Pelissero.
In a pool report after the game, referee John Hussey defended the decision not to throw a flag, saying, “Pass interference is a judgment call.”
“To the officials it didn’t rise to what they felt was a restriction, thus they didn’t call it. That’s basically the bottom line there.”
The NFC East rivalry game was marred with a number of head-scratching decisions by the officials, several of which went against the Commanders. Two plays before the play involving Samuel, running back Brian Robinson had a one-yard touchdown run erased off the board after an illegal formation penalty against receiver Terry McLaurin. Adding to the controversy on that particular play was that McLaurin appeared to confirm with the official who threw the flag that he was lined up legally before the snap.
The loss ultimately dropped Washington back to 7-6-1 and a full game behind the Giants in the wild card race. The Commanders are still currently in possession of the No. 7 seed in the NFC heading into Saturday’s game against the 49ers.
