The New York Jets cried foul after an error by game officials cost them a potentially game-swinging touchdown Monday night.
The play occurred with less than two minutes to go in the first half, the Jets trailing the Chicago Bears by four. Jay Cutlerfumbled while being upended for a sack by David Harris. Linebacker Demario Davis scooped up the loose ball and galloped 44 yards for a go-ahead touchdown.
Or so the Jets thought. Referee Jerome Boger blew the play dead, ruling Cutler was down by contact. The Jets were given the turnover after a review, but not the touchdown. They went three-and-out on their subsequent possession.
"I knew it was a fumble, and it should've been a touchdown," Davis said, according to ESPN.com. "I talked to a couple of refs before today. They're supposed to let that play stay open. They're taught to call that a fumble because you can always review it. If you blow it dead, the play dies there. That came back to bite us in the butt, but we didn't have the best officiating in this game. That's not an excuse. We know we have to play better."
After the 27-19 loss, a drained Rex Ryan didn't appear to have the energy to properly address the play. Either that, or he didn't want to give the league a reason to fine him.
"I'll let you guys figure out how frustrating that is," Ryan said of the play.
NFL's vice president of officiating Dean Blandino told NFL Total Access on Tuesday that the play was a fumble but could not be overturned because the whistle had blown the play dead.
"Players stopped, you can't go back, you can't assume that he would have scored," Blandino explained. "He would have here, but we've got to look at overall, these types of plays, when the referee blows the whistle or any official blows the whistle, it's dead and we can't allow an advance."
It wasn't the only call to go against the Jets in the first half. Darrin Walls was called for pass interference on Alshon Jeffery, though replays showed the call probably should have been the other way around. The 33-yard penalty set up the Bears' second touchdown.
Harris sees a pattern emerging for the Jets.
"What else is new?" he said. "It seems like we're playing against two teams out there sometimes."
That's not a sentiment that will earn much sympathy in the NFL, but there's no denying the Jets had just cause for frustration. Expect this to come up when Dean Blandino pops up on NFL Total Access later today.
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