Jim Irsay says "The NFL admits and understands that they did not make the correct calls at end of Sunday's Colts/Browns Game," via www.cbssports.com - CC
Indiana Colts owner Jim Irsay is advocating for a big NFL rule change following his team's controversial 39-38 loss to the Cleveland Browns last Monday. Irsay proposes to make all calls reviewable in the final two minutes, prompted by the NFL's acknowledgment of two critical officiating errors against the Colts in the game's last 50 seconds.
"The NFL admits and understands that they did not make the correct calls at end of Sunday's Colts/Browns Game," Irsay wrote on X. "I believe we need to institute Instant Replay for all calls, including Penalties, in the last two minutes of All Games."
https://twitter.com/JimIrsay/status/1716989914040897559
The NFL has openly admitted to two critical officiating errors against the Colts. The first was an illegal contact call on Colts cornerback Darrell Baker Jr., and the second was defensive pass interference, also against Baker.
The second call granted the Browns the ball at the Colts' one-yard line with 33 seconds left in the game. Irsay's proposal suggests this change to avoid similar situations in the future.
https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/1717136903709851707
"I definitely agree because decisions like that can really alter the outcome of a game. And that could alter the trajectory or the career of a player. You never know what can happen after that," Baker said of the proposal.
"I feel like I should have ended the game a couple of plays before that, when I almost had the interception. But almost doesn't count. If I end it there, it's a different story."
https://twitter.com/TomPelissero/status/1716993227549483497
Debatable calls
In the 39-38 loss, Baker incurred back-to-back penalties. With less than a minute remaining, the Browns, trailing 39-33, had a third-and-4 at the Colts' 13-yard line.
On the third-down play, Browns quarterback P.J. Walker not only got strip-sacked, but the Colts also recovered the fumble. However, Baker's illegal contact penalty granted Cleveland an automatic first down, giving them a reprieve.
https://twitter.com/MySportsUpdate/status/1716990911291199550
On the following play, Baker committed interference against Browns receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones. The issue here was the pass was uncatchable, which questions the validity of the flag.
The interference call positioned the Browns at the one-yard line, and although the Colts nearly clinched a victory, Browns running back Kareem Hunt secured the game-winning touchdown on fourth down.
https://twitter.com/RealNate018/status/1716990343097274538
Unlikely to pass
Irsay's public complaints, while able to stir some controversy, are unlikely to pass. The NFL only altered the rule book in response to a controversial penalty in 2019 when pass interference became reviewable after the Rams-Saints NFC title game.
However, the interference review rule was so flawed during its brief existence that Troy Vincent, the NFL's VP of football operations, admitted it was a mistake. Vincent has previously spoken about the challenges of implementing rule changes in May 2020. He specifically explained the reviewability of penalties.
https://twitter.com/BadSportsRefs/status/1716191461937414603
"You can't rush and just shove something in there without knowing all the consequences," Vincent said. "And we found that out last year, live and in action, publicly. We didn't do last year, and we failed, and we failed miserably."
Consequently, Irsay's proposal may face significant obstacles in the near future. However, it could gain traction if the NFL continues to witness glaring errors in the final two minutes of games. The NFL has yet to provide an official response to Irsay's suggestion.