Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright, like so many people last night including referees, fans and many players, thought it was just fine to tap the ball out of the back of the end zone following the Calvin Johnson fumble.
After a win, he was all too happy to fess up.
"Yeah, you can't hit it backwards, and you can't intentionally I guess knock it out," Wright said after the game, via The Seattle Times. "But at the time I wasn't thinking that, I was just trying to not mess up the game. So I know now."
In watching the replay, Lions running back Theo Riddick seems to be the only one who immediately suspects something illegal has happened. As soon as Wright bats the ball out of bounds, he throws his arms in the air and looks over at an official. The back judge, in perfect position to make the call, did not feel it was an "overt act," according to NFL vice president of officiating Dean Blandino.
The loss will not sit well with the Lions or their fanbase and it certainly points out some portions of the NFL rule book that seem convoluted and obscure. At this juncture, is it too much for officials to digest and remember on the fly? Poor officiating decisions have heavily impacted the first few weeks of the season yet again, after all.
It certainly looked that way last night amid all the chaos. Like Calvin Johnson said after the game, "it's unfortunate."
