The NFL has confirmed that referee Jeff Triplette and his officiating crew made an on-field error for the second time in as many weeks Sunday in Cincinnati.
NFL vice president of officiating Dean Blandino said Tuesday on NFL Network's "NFL Total Access" that Triplette's team made the incorrect call by awarding Bengals running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis with a 1-yard touchdown run following an official review in the Bengals' 42-28 win over the Indianapolis Colts.
Replays showed that Colts defensive tackle Josh Chapman appeared to make contact with Green-Ellis' foot behind the line of scrimmage on the fourth-and-goal play, causing the running back to stumble to the turf. The original call marked Green-Ellis short of the goal line, turning over possession to the Colts.
The decision to overturn the call gave Cincinnati a 14-point lead heading into halftime.
"No, it wasn't the correct call," Blandino told NFL Media's Dan Hellie. "There was not enough evidence to overturn the ruling on the field."
Blandino said that Chapman "potentially" touched Green-Ellis on the foot, but there wasn't "indisputable visual evidence" to say the original call on the field was incorrect.
"That's the standard. When we look at these angles, it's close," Blandino said. "Don't think it's definitive either way. And when it's not definitive either way, that means the call on the field should stand. So we made a mistake here. This should not have been overturned."
Blandino added: "Ultimately, it's my job to make sure our referees apply this standard consistently throughout the season. So that's what we'll continue to work on."
Triplette's crew was also involved in controversy last week, when a miscommunication over the down led to confusion during the Washington Redskins' final possession in a loss to the New York Giants. Blandino confirmed that Triplette was wrong not to stop the game clock after head linesman Phil McKinnely incorrectly motioned for the chain crew to advance the chains.
It continues a rough stretch for Triplette, who, like all officials, is graded on every play of every game.
