Skip to main content

NFL says Ravens' blocked field goal was legal

Baltimore beat the Browns fair and square on Monday night.

The NFL on Tuesday confirmed that no penalty occurred on the game's final play, which saw Ravens defensive end Brent Urban block a 51-yard field goal attempt by Travis Coons. The tipped ball landed in the hands of Baltimore safety Will Hill, who raced 64 yards for the touchdown and a 33-27 walk-off victory.

Soon after the game, SBNation.com tweeted out the following replay that appeared to show Ravens defensive back Anthony Levinelined up offsides before the kick.

NFL spokesman Michael Signora, though, told Around The NFL via email that Levine was lined up legally, stating: "The ball was spotted at the 33-and-a-half yard line for the kick. The center moves the ball up slightly to get in position for the snap. The black line you see, which television uses to denote the line of scrimmage, appears to be at the 33, not the 33-and-a-half. So when the ball is snapped, the defensive player is not at the 33-and-a-half yard-line and he appears to be in a legal position."

A smattering of tweets also questioned if Hill stepped out of bounds on the return:

Signora shot that down, too, telling us: "Will Hill did not step out of bounds. If he had, the game would have been stopped for an instant replay review. The touchdown was confirmed and as a result, there was no need to stop the game."

One of the most dramatic games of the year goes into the books without controversy, but not without heartbreak if you make your home along the shores of Lake Erie.