Report: Jets Were On To Patriots' Field Goal Push Long Before OT Kick
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- What did they know? When did they know it? And who did they tell?
Almost sounds like Washington politics, doesn't it?
No, this is about the Jets and the Patriots and the penalty heard around the world.
The rhetoric heated up on Monday when the NFL Network's Albert Breer reported via Twitter that the Jets knew for some time that the Patriots like to push teammates to create a defensive line surge on field goal attempts. something that is clearly stated to be illegal in the NFL rulebook, but is a call that is rarely, if ever, made by officiating crews.
But the back judge on Sunday did make the call -- an unsportsmanlike penalty against the Patriots in overtime after Nick Folk had missed a 56-yard field goal. The call proved to be costly for New England as Folk eventually booted a 42-yarder, giving the Jets a 30-27 victory.
What followed was Patriots coaches, players and fans screaming bloody murder and Jets supporters saying a rule is a rule, no matter how obscure.
On Monday, Jets head coach Rex Ryan wouldn't acknowledge whether or not he or anyone else on staff gave the officials the head's up, but reiterated that, in his opinion, the call was the right call.
"It was a rule emphasis this year and it's all about protecting the players....So was it an appropriate call? Yes," Ryan said.
When asked if, while scouting the Patriots' win over the New Orleans Saints the week before, anyone noticed a push on a field goal, Ryan said, "Let's just put it this way: We watch every single play ... We're aware of opponents' tendencies."
Ryan said the Jets earned every bit of the victory, which pulled them within a game of the first-place Patriots in the AFC East.
"The focus is gonna be wherever you guys want it to be. But we outplayed New England -- and that's why we won the game," Ryan said.
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