NFL: Nothing Controversial About Ref Assist At End Of Jets-Patriots
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- What would Jets-Patriots be without a little controversy?
New York showed up to play Thursday, dominating New England everywhere but in the secondary and on the scoreboard as the Jets lost 27-25 on a blocked 58-yard field goal attempt in the final seconds.
About that: video of the final play shows an official prodding Dont'a Hightower of the Patriots to the side of the Jets' center. Hightower was walking in toward the line of scrimmage directly on top of the center, which could have resulted in a flag for illegal formation -- and closer attempt at the game-winner for Nick Folk.
League rules state that a player defending a kick "who is within one yard of the line of scrimmage, must have his entire body outside the snapper's shoulder pads at the snap." A five-yard penalty would have meant a 53-yard attempt for Folk, who was forced to kick low due to the distance.
WFAN's Craig Carton was all over the officials on Friday morning. But co-host Boomer Esiason, familiar with the ins and outs as an analyst and former NFL MVP, said it was nothing out of the ordinary. Receivers will often ask referees to help them line up, Esiason said.
"You're not watching close enough," he said. "I'm just telling you, they do this around the league. They do it."
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The NFL agreed with Esiason: Jets fans got in a tizzy over nothing. Dean Blandino, the league's vice president of officiating, tweeted Friday that it "is a standard officiating mechanic."
It also appears to be a safety issue.
Case closed. Just another day in the Jets-Patriots rivalry.
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