‘Can’t do the ref’s job’: Ravens unimpressed by crucial overturned TD
NFL football, like most sports, is a fickle beast.
One second, a team is celebrating what they believe is a go-ahead touchdown in the final minutes of a division rivalry game. And then the next, those cheers and smiles have been dashed by the folks in black-and-white stripes.
Such was the experience of the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, when what they believed was a go-ahead Isaiah Likely touchdown — originally called so on the field — got overturned and ruled incomplete upon review with less than three minutes to go. It proved fatal in their 27-22 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The thrill of victory and agony of defeat, all in a matter of a few fleeting moments.
At first glance, it appeared as if Likely held the ball long enough before Pittsburgh cornerback Joey Porter Jr. knocked it from the tight end’s grasp. That’s certainly how Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson saw it.
“If you were on the field with us, I believe you’d have thought it was a touchdown, too,” Jackson said afterward. “But I can’t do the ref’s job. So, it is what it is.”
Likely’s response was a bit simpler: “I guess I’ve got to get my third foot down.”
Sunday’s outcome could prove pivotal in determining which team makes it out of the AFC North and earns a home playoff berth for the rapidly approaching NFL post-season. The Steelers’ Week 14 victory improved them to 7-6, good enough for the top spot in the division, while keeping the Ravens at 6-7 and an arm’s length away in second-place.
It’s been an up-and-down season for Baltimore, primarily due to a plethora of injuries, none more notable than Jackson’s four-week absence in October. Upon his return, the Ravens rattled off four consecutive wins to give themselves hope against the Steelers atop the division, but now they must continue their uphill battle after back-to-back losses. First to the Cincinnati Bengals last week, and then to the Steelers on Sunday.
For what it’s worth, Baltimore head coach Jim Harbaugh believes his team has plenty of time left to make it happen.
“Four games left. The season is not over,” he explained. “(We will be) fighting for the AFC North for the next four games. That’s where we stand.”
As for Harbaugh’s thoughts on the touchdown that never was, the veteran head coach took a more diplomatic approach.
“The explanation was that a third foot didn’t get down before the ball came out. That’s what (the officials) said.
“I don’t know why it was ruled the way it was on that one. So, all those things, I’m sure they’ll explain to us, but they had plenty of time to look at it, and they’re the ones who are the experts on the rules, so that’s how it works.”
The Ravens return to action on Dec. 14, visiting the Bengals (4-9) for another important divisional matchup.
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