Did NFL screw up review of late Raiders touchdown in game vs. Patriots? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The New England Patriots lost to the Las Vegas Raiders on one of the craziest plays in NFL history, but you could make a strong case that the visiting team at Allegiant Stadium never should have been in that position in the first place.
The Patriots went up 24-17 with 3:43 remaining in the fourth quarter when Rhamondre Stevenson ran 38 yards for a touchdown and Jakobi Meyers caught a pass for the 2-point conversion.
The Raiders punted on their ensuing possession, which was followed by the Patriots going 3-and-out and punting on their next possession.
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Las Vegas, as a result, got the ball back with 2:11 left on the clock on its own 19-yard line. Eight plays later, the Raiders got all the way to the Patriots' 30-yard line. On a second-and-10 play with 32 seconds left, Raiders quarterback Derek Carr threw a deep pass that was caught by wide receiver Keelan Cole in the back left corner of the end zone.
The ruling on the field was a completed catch and a touchdown. But the replay angles made it look like Cole's left foot/toes clearly hit the white sideline as he was landing. The play was reviewed, and to the surprise of many people, the call stood as a touchdown.
Here's a video of the play and a still shot of Cole's left toe appearing to hit the sideline.
Sports
Patriots players past and present were also surprised at the review decision:
NFL Senior VP of Officiating Walt Anderson told ESPN's Mike Reiss that "there was nothing that was clear and obvious that (Cole's) foot was touching the white."
Meyers explains his intent on costly play in Patriots' loss to Raiders
It's a little ridiculous that a league like the NFL would not have better camera angles for the end zone, considering many of the most important plays in every game happen in that area of the field.
The Patriots' final possession of the game resulted in a botched lateral attempt by Stevenson and Meyers that led to a Chandler Jones touchdown and a 30-24 win for the Raiders. It was one of the most stunning plays in a long time.
There were a lot of plays/factors that cost the Patriots a win Sunday. This review on the Cole touchdown was among the most notable ones.
