On Sunday, December 17th at 8:30, the Cowboys defeated the Raiders in Oakland. This game displayed yet another NFL officiating error; this time resulting in a loss for the Raiders. In a sport where literally every centimeter counts, the officials decided to measure a first down with a folded piece of paper! Giving credit where it is due, Gene Steratore had never seen a play so close, as evidenced by his immediate reaction.
As the chain gang ran onto the field to measure from the spot of the ball, they all seemed to be in shock at how close the play was. Dak Prescott executed a QB sneak on 4th and 1 and the ball was undeniably close to the first down. As I watched the replay, it became less and less clear as to where the ball should have actually been spotted, but the refs seemed confident in their placement of the ball. The aerial view showed that Dak was actually short of the first, but a generous placing of the ball made this the closest chain gang decision I have ever seen in all my years as a football fan.
That being said, with all the advancements in technology over the past years why does the NFL still rely on a 10 yard chain and the naked eye to make such do or die calls? Calls that end up costing one team the game. Instead, they should be able to look at replay or even have a microchip in the football that tells the refs exactly what yard line it should be placed on. Despite that, the ruling should never ever come down to a folded piece of paper... Ref Gene Steratore decided to improvise and see if a piece of paper could fit between the ball and the chain. If the paper could slide in without making contact with the ball, it would be deemed short of the first down. That, I see no problem with.
I do, however, have a problem with the the play coming down to a piece of paper obviously folded a few inches wide. They should have taken their time with such a close play. The refs should have had a meeting to decide what would have been the most effective method towards figuring out that insanely close play. Instead, a laughing Gene Steratore sticks that folded piece of paper in there!? Cmon NFL.
After the folded paper obviously touched the football it was called Cowboys ball, where they immediately drove down the field to take the lead. That folded paper may as well have been a check signed by Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, because it handed them the game. I would not be surprised if the NFL made referees carry an index card in order to be prepared for plays this close in the future. That play reminded Raider fans of the infamous "tuck rule" play where Tom Brady obviously fumbled but it was called dead. It seems like new rules are always brought to attention during Raiders games. Sadly for Raider fans, neither of these rules worked in their favor. I would like to see some technological advancements regarding how referees officiate the game. In a world with such impressive technology, the NFL needs to step up their game.
