After review, the call on the field made no sense.
Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield blasted the referees following the Buccaneers’ 24-9 loss to the Detroit Lions on “Monday Night Football” at Ford Field.
Questionable officiating dominated the game, leaving Mayfield visibly frustrated throughout the contest.
But it was a controversial double review call on a fourth-down play, overturning a Tampa Bay conversion, that left the Buccaneers’ field general dumbfounded.
“Still pretty damn confused about the double review,” said Mayfield, who was admittedly frustrated after the brutal loss.
“Lot of things in that game that were a little questionable … I work my ass off and put a lot into this game, so when things that I don’t deem are fair, I’m going to let somebody know.”
The Buccaneers (5-2) trailed, 21-9, at the beginning of the fourth quarter when they lined up at their 37-yard line for a fourth-and-4 play.
Mayfield connected with tight end Cade Otton right at the marker for what was initially ruled a first down.
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Lions head coach Dan Campbell challenged the ruling — not to review if Otton fell short, but to see whether he had completed the reception, as he lost control of the ball on impact.
Referee John Hussey confirmed the ruling on the field, until initiating a “second look” that determined Otton fell short of the sticks.
The officiating crew reversed the call and gave the Lions their challenge back, despite them not challenging the spot of the play.
“It was an interesting call after they made it,” Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles said, per MLive.com. “But at the same time, we got the ball back, so it didn’t cost us anything, but it did cost us time on the clock. But that didn’t win or lose the game.”
While it seemed like a massive play at the time — one that opened the door for a 58-yard field goal from Lions kicker Jake Bates — the call ultimately did little to sway a game that had already been decided.
Tampa Bay got left in the dust in the Motor City, with Mayfield struggling mightily throughout the contest — completing just 28 of 50 passes for 228 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
The Buccaneers still remain in first place in the NFC South and look to rebound against the Saints in New Orleans in Week 8.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
