What is it about Monday Night Football and controversial endings thanks to referees? This year there were no replacement refs harmed, but that doesn't mean confusion and uncertainty didn't reign everywhere. After Luke Kuechly tackled Rob Gronkowski in the endzone on the game's final play with Carolina leading New England by 4, the refs threw a flag for pass interference. It was then picked up without any explanation as to why and the game ended. New England was angry, Carolina was happy, and nobody had any idea what had happened.
Thankfully, that's why most networks who cover the NFL employ rules analysts. In the MNF booth, Gerry Austin said the right decision was made to pick up the flag. There was just one slight little issue with that.
Nobody agreed with him.
According to Fox rules analyst Mike Pereira and NBCSports.com's Jim Daopoulos (and everyone else who voiced an opinion on the play), Austin was wrong and the initial flag should not have been picked up…
My thoughts..Since the flag was thrown they should have stayed with the call. There was clear contact before the ball was intercepted. More.
— Mike Pereira (@MikePereira) November 19, 2013
You could make a case that the pass might have been uncatachable, but the flag was thrown and you should stay with it. My thoughts
— Mike Pereira (@MikePereira) November 19, 2013
The pass was catchable..not illegal contact since ball was in the air…contact on 87 occurs prior to interception. It's a foul and called!
— Jim Daopoulos (@RefereeJimD) November 19, 2013
Austin is incorrect with his explanation…that ball was catchable and saying it was uncatchable is incorrect
— Jim Daopoulos (@RefereeJimD) November 19, 2013
So to recap…
Fox NFL Rules Analyst – Penalty
NBC NFL Rules Analyst – Penalty
ESPN NFL Rules Analyst – No Penalty
Confused? Good. You should be. The only thing we've learned is that nobody knows the rules to football.
Of course, that wasn't all. Plenty of NFL writers, football analysts, bloggers, and fans from around the country were less than satisfied with Austin's explanation of the play and let their voices be heard on Twitter in humorous ways. As always, these are Real Tweets from Real People…
Next week, Gerry Austin on how Goldfinger was just trying to prank James Bond.
— Joe Posnanski (@JPosnanski) November 19, 2013
To be fair, Gerry Austin had dinner at 4 and had been asleep since 7:15. Of course he's making no sense.
— Chad Finn (@GlobeChadFinn) November 19, 2013
No exaggeration: I can't remember the last time I saw someone on TV more lost than Gerry Austin. This is borderline sad.
— Jimmy Traina (@JimmyTraina) November 19, 2013
A few thoughts after the end of this game: 1. Gerry Austin says it's OK for an LB to faceguard a TE with the ball in the air. That is wrong.
— Peter King (@SI_PeterKing) November 19, 2013
Hey Gerry Austin that excuse was even worse than the no call…protect your buddies at the expense of your credibility! #awful
— Joel Klatt (@joelklatt) November 19, 2013
What was the point of Gerry Austin there? Seriously.
— P. Schrager (@PSchrags) November 19, 2013
So according to Gerry Austin, you can tackle any receiver who isn't able to catch a pass thrown downfield? #MNF
— Eric Stangel (@EricStangel) November 19, 2013
I like how it's 2013 and we still don't really know the rules to football.
— Bobby Big Wheel (@BobbyBigWheel) November 19, 2013
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