Report: Johnson says refs at Giants-Cardinals tilt made right call

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning assumed wideout Victor Cruz had fumbled. As did the Arizona Cardinals and ex-NFL vice president of officiating Mike Pereira.

But the people whose opinion really mattered -- the officials at Sunday's game between the Giants and Cardinals -- felt otherwise, and current league VP of officiating Carl Johnson decided they made the right call, the Newark Star-Ledger reported.

The Star-Ledger wrote, citing a source informed of Johnson's opinion of the play, that Johnson agreed with the refs' decision Cruz had declared himself down when he voluntarily gave up the ball after he hit the turf on his own power.

It certainly felt like a perplexing call at the time, especially given how Manning rushed to the line in an attempt to run a play before the Cardinals could challenge the call. The Giants signal-caller later admitted that he felt the Giants "got a break on that one."

According the the league's rule book an "Official shall declare ball dead ... when runner declares himself down by falling to ground or kneeling & making no effort to advance."

Manning connected with wideout Hakeem Nicks for the go-ahead score on the first play after the officials confirmed the call.