NFL refs: can’t live with ‘em, can’t live without ‘em.
A controversial no-call on what looked like defensive pass interference by a member of the Lions’ secondary is miring Detroit’s frenetic second-half comeback and defeat of the Houston Texans on the Week 10 edition of “Sunday Night Football.”
On the first play after the two-minute warning, and with the game deadlocked at 23 apiece, Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud hucked a pass up the middle toward wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson.
The ball was thrown into double coverage, though Hutchinson was knocked to the turf before ever having a chance to make a play on it.
The second-year wideout was streaking through the middle of the field but slowed his approach as the pass neared.
Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold had been a step behind Hutchinson and crashed into his back, sending both players tumbling to the turf.
“Terry [McAulay], that’s contact early, isn’t it?” Cris Collinsworth asked as NBC showed slow-motion replays of the third-down incompletion.
“It is,” responded McAulay, NBC’s rules analyst. “He’s playing through the back before the ball is tipped … it should’ve been a foul for defensive pass interference.”
The refs made no such call on the play, which led to the Texans sending out the field goal unit. Ka’imi Fairbairn’s 58-yard attempt went way wide left and the Lions regained possession.
Detroit’s ensuing drive began on their own 48-yard-line, chewed the remaining 1:58 of clock time, and concluded with a buzzer-beating, game-winning 52-yard field goal off the boot of rookie kicker Jake Bates.
Bates’ kick capped off an auspicious comeback in Jared Goff’s least auspicious start of the season. Despite the quarterback’s five interceptions and a 23-7 halftime deficit, the Lions prevailed by a final score of 26-23.
With the victory, Detroit picked up their division-leading eighth win of the season. Meanwhile, the hobbled Texans fell to 6-4.
“I think it almost feels too scripted, it’s too good to be true,” Bates said of his game-winner, per the Houston Chronicle.
Houston concurs.
