Total Pro Sports
The NFL admitted to a mistake by its officials during a pivotal play involving Tetairoa McMillan near the end of the Carolina Panthers-New Orleans Saints game on Sunday.
On Thursday night, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost to the Atlanta Falcons. That gave the Panthers a chance to take sole possession of first place in the NFC South. But it wasn’t to be, with Tyler Shough outdueling Bryce Young in a thrilling 20-17 victory.
Unfortunately, the dramatic game didn’t come without controversy. Just before the two-minute warning, Bryce Young appeared to complete a12-yard pass to Tetairoa McMillan. It should have given Carolina a fresh set of downs at the Carolina 41.
Saints head coach Kellen Moore threw the challenge flag on the play. After reviewing it, the officials determined that it was an incomplete pass. Carolina eventually had to punt, and Shough set up Charlie Smyth’s game-winning 47-yard field goal.
According to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, the league “privately” told the Panthers that the catch should have been upheld after review:
“Regardless, the league privately admitted to the Panthers that the ruling on the field should not have been reversed, because it was not clear and obvious that McMillan had failed to make the catch.
Therein lies the biggest current confusion regarding the catch rule specifically and the replay process generally. The person(s) performing the replay reviews are not consistently applying the replay standard. Rulings on the field should be overturned only when it’s clear and obvious that a mistake was made.”
At any rate, the Tetairoa McMillan and the Panthers have to turn the page. They return home for a crucial showdown against the unraveling Bucs.
If Carolina ends up missing out on the NFC South division crown, they’ll have every right to be angry at the refs and the replay review system.
And to think the Dallas Cowboys were screwed one week earlier when Jake Ferguson was called for offensive pass interference on a play where Alex Anzalone clearly interfered with him. Sometimes, the pass-catchers get hosed by terrible officiating.
But McMillan and Carolina still control their own destiny here. Two wins against the Bucs (they play in Tampa in Week 18) will give Carolina its first division crown since 2015. It’s all in their hands.
McMillan’s excellent rookie year is a key reason why the Panthers are in this spot to begin with. The 22-year-old has 59 catches for 851 yards and six touchdowns, finally giving Young the true No. 1 receiver he lacked earliy in his career.
