At first glance, the ball didn’t seem to cross the first-down line after Christian McCaffrey ran the ball on third-and-1 in an attempt to give his kicker a chance to beat the New York Giants on a long field goal. The Panthers’ running back charged ahead as outside linebacker Alec Ogletree grabbed him and pulled him backwards, but there was no measurement of the ball on the games most important play.
In fact, Cam Newton rushed to the line of scrimmage and spiked the ball on what seemed to be 4th-and-1, but the officials had indicated a first down with no measurement or review of the spot. In other words, it seemed as if they just game them the benefit of the doubt without a second thought.
Among the #Giants’ complaints about officiating yesterday was lack of replay review on the spot that gave #Panthers a first down before their winning FG. I’m told New York actually did review the play — without stopping the game — and determined it would not have been overturned.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 8, 2018
The above comment is what the league’s representative stated in regard to the mismanaged play, completely avoiding the severity of the moment and the lack of professionalism to review the spot. Even just that extra minute of nerves could have forced Panthers kicker Graham Gano to miss the 63-yard field goal he booted through to win the game.
Apparently, New York can suddenly review plays in less than five seconds, which is about how long it took for Newton to collect the ball and spike it.
https://twitter.com/EmperorMara/status/1049036504767631360
This is the play for those who need a second look.
The worst part about this is that it wasn’t the only mishap from the officials during the game. A personal foul for head-to-head conduct was called on Landon Collins, who was diving for a ball and even tipped the pass before colliding with the targeted receiver. It was completely unintentional and fair, but of course, the officials called it against the Giants, who were clearly disliked.
The call on Collins forced a first-down and allowed the Panthers to score, which put the Giants at a disadvantage.
What were some positives from the New York Giants’ loss?
Odell Beckham finally got his first touchdown! On a throw from Eli Manning that split two defenders in the end zone, Beckham secured his first touchdown catch of the season, putting the Giants within striking difference in the second-half. The game for the Giants’ top wide-out was inspiring, as he amassed 131 receiving yards and threw a 57 yard touchdown pass to Saquon Barkley in the first half of the game.
On the defensive side of the ball, Alec Ogletree had another solid game, earning six total tackles. Cornerback Eli Apple also had a decent game with five tackles. Overall, the defense struggled, but they had several turnovers in the redzone that turned the game on its heels.
The Giants must continue to create turnovers and get pressure on the quarterback, as they only sacked Newton once on Sunday. The return of OLB Olivier Vernon should be very influential.