NFL News 2015: League Isn't Expected to Suspend Officials for Jaguars-Ravens Missed Call
The Jacksonville Jaguars won a controversial game against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, 22-20, after the officiating crew made a mistake by not calling a false start on the final play from scrimmage. Provided the call was made, a penalty would have followed, which should have forced a 10-second runoff. The mistake eventually allowed the Jaguars to win with a field goal.
Although the mistake was crucial that it deprived Baltimore the win, the league isn't expected to hand out suspensions to the responsible officiating crew. ESPN first reported that the NFL did acknowledge that the crew led by referee Pete Morelli made a mistake in that play and that it will essentially be inputted in the week evaluation for the crew courtesy of the NFL office.
The rumored news of no suspensions is contradictory to last month's suspension of another official who incidentally belongs to Morelli's crew as well. The official, side judge Rob Vernatchi, was suspended one week after failing to notice that the clock was actually still running after a touchback. Actually, the gravity of the error is pale in comparison to last Sunday's mistake because it cost the Ravens the game.
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It is actually kind of ironic that the NFL does not really intend to suspend erring officials based on mistakes in judgment, with the defense that those types of mistakes are actually a natural part of officiating. The only repercussion is that the officials may be reassigned to another crew. This happened to Greg Wilson, a back judge who missed an illegal bat call in a game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Detroit Lions.
Without any suspensions, it is likely that Morelli, or at least some of the members of his crew, will be reassigned in the commencement of Week 11 games. Nonetheless, there is still no official word as to the league's next move.
