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Kevin Seifert
minneapolis– vikings tight end TJ Hockenson Sunday was extremely disappointing when NFL replays overturned a fourth-quarter touchdown catch that would have ended the game. philadelphia eagles‘Minnesota finally takes a double-digit lead lost 28-22,
Hockenson said he was “in control the whole time” and revealed that two members of referee Bill Winovich’s crew told him they considered the catch and touchdown even after the play was overturned.
“There was nothing to overturn it,” Hockenson said. “I mean, I was there. I felt it, hand under the ball, caught it and I didn’t understand. I basically don’t understand the catch rule at this point. … I don’t understand how New York can make a call and just say, ‘Yeah, it’s not a catch,’ when there was no evidence that it wasn’t. I mean, I had it. I think that’s ridiculous.”
All scoring plays in the NFL are subject to review. Winovich’s squad credited Hockenson with a 15-yard touchdown reception on third-and-2 with 2 minutes, 58 seconds remaining in the game. Initial replays showed that the ball moved somewhat as Hockenson hit the ground, but the NFL’s standard for replay reversals is to uphold the call unless there is clear and unambiguous evidence on video that shows a different call should have been made.
In a pool report, Mark Butterworth, vice president of instant replay, said there was.
“The ruling on the field was a touchdown,” Butterworth said, “so the replay has jurisdiction to stop the game.” We used broadcast-enhanced shots to show that as he was going to the ground – he needed control of the ball during the process of the catch – he lost control of the ball. The ball hit the ground. Then, he regained control of the ball. So, we turned it over on an incomplete pass.
If the touchdown had been upheld, and the Vikings had converted the extra point attempt, they would have trailed 28–26 with all three of their timeouts remaining. place-kicker Will Reichardt The first had a 59-yard field goal attempt converted, meaning the Vikings would have been in position to win if they had gotten the ball back and taken it near the Eagles’ 40-yard line. According to ESPN Analytics, the upset resulted in a 16.4% increase in the Vikings’ chances of victory.
The Vikings had several other opportunities earlier in the game. They finished with only one touchdown in six trips to the red zone, while committing two turnovers, including an interception by an Eagles linebacker. jalix hunt Returned 42 yards for a touchdown.
“It is what it is,” Hockenson said. “Got to move on to other plays… I mean you can’t go to one of the six [in the red zone] And win a ball game with two turnovers. we had [opportunity] In the end, obviously. But yes, it is difficult.”
