3:02 pm | October 5, 2018 | Go to Source | Author:
6:46 PM ET
Kevin SeifertNFL Nation
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ESPN.com national NFL writer
ESPN.com NFC North reporter, 2008-2013
Covered Vikings for Minneapolis Star Tribune, 1999-2008
The NFL acknowledged Friday that an errant whistle cost the Cleveland Browns a fumble recovery in their 45-42 overtime loss to the Oakland Raiders last Sunday.
The play, one of several controversial calls in the game, occurred with 6 minutes, 39 seconds remaining in regulation. Raiders quarterback Derek Carr lost control of the ball after Browns pass rushers Myles Garrett and Genard Avery hit him at the Oakland 38-yard line. Garrett recovered and began a return toward the end zone.
Baker Mayfield says the Browns will reach their potential once they shore up details such as timing, route-running and his reads.
Forty years ago, because of a fantastic finish between the Chargers and Raiders, the rules about fumbling the ball forward were changed.
The Browns, who are one of just four teams out of 323 since 2000 to lose when scoring 42 points, need to find way to win games they should win.
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But referee Walt Anderson stepped in, ruling that a whistle had blown before the fumble because Carr’s forward progress stopped. Anderson ruled the play a sack, and the Raiders punted on fourth down.
In a weekly video review released on Twitter, NFL senior vice president of officiating Al Riveron said: “We ruled the passer stopped for forward progress and we kill the play. This is not forward progress. Obviously, this is a fumble. We should not have blown the whistle.”
By NFL rule, Anderson’s call was not reviewable by instant replay.
The Browns were also on the short end of another controversial ruling late in the game: Riveron’s decision to reverse a key first-down measurement with 1:38 left in regulation.
Riveron did not mention it on Friday’s video, but the league had earlier supported the ruling by saying Riveron determined Browns running back Carlos Hyde should have been marked one yard short of the first down. According to the league, Riveron pieced together the ruling by looking at evidence from two different views of the play.
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