National Football League

NFL Week 16's top officiating rulings

Published Dec. 26, 2010 12:00 a.m. ET

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Sixteen candles, or Sundays if you prefer, have been lit and burned to completion.

With just one Sunday left in the NFL regular season, each game takes on added significance. Also added is the magnifying glass placed on the officials.

So let's get right to the big calls that were made in Week 16:

1. Washington at Jacksonville

THE SITUATION: Washington had the ball, first-and-10 at the Jacksonville 17-yard line with 2:25 left in the second quarter. Washington led, 10-7.

THE PLAY: Washington quarterback Rex Grossman attempted a pass to Santana Moss that was intercepted by Jacksonville's Derek Cox in the end zone. Washington challenged the ruling, claiming that Cox didn't get both feet inbounds, but the play was upheld.

MY TAKE: Most of us in the FOX Command Center were fooled. The tendency is to look at what would appear to be the second foot and see whether that foot is in or out of bounds. What we sometimes fail to look at is where the other foot is when the receiver first establishes control of the ball.

In this case, the left toe was on the ground when Cox first gained possession. When his right foot came down in bounds, that was the second foot, making it an interception.

When Cox’s left foot came down out of bounds, that was actually the third step. Referee Jerome Boger and his replay crew did a good job of focusing on the feet when Cox first gained control.

2a. New York Giants at Green Bay

THE SITUATION: Green Bay had the ball, second-and-2 from the Giants’ 8-yard line with two minutes left before halftime. The score was tied at 14.

THE PLAY: Green Bay running back John Kuhn carried the ball 8 yards for a touchdown.

MY TAKE: I hate to see this happen, but this was not a touchdown.

Kuhn's left knee was down before the ball broke the plane. This was the first play after the two-minute warning so it was up to the replay assistant to stop the game. The FOX crew covering the game showed two replays before the extra point was attempted. It was clear that the play should have been stopped and reviewed. Even though it would have been a first-and-goal for the Packers from the 1-yard line, you never know what can happen.

As I've been saying all season, I think all touchdowns should be reviewed, inside or outside of two minutes, challenged or not.

2b. New York Giants at Green Bay

THE SITUATION: The Giants had the ball, second-and 18 from the Giants’ 30-yard line with 9:47 left in the fourth quarter. Green Bay led, 31-14.

THE PLAY: New York quarterback Eli Manning's pass intended for Derek Hagen was intercepted by Sam Shields at the New York 46-yard line.

MY TAKE: This was another play in this game that was incorrectly ruled and not challenged; the replay showed that Shields' second foot was clearly out of bounds. The reason this play wasn't challenged is because the Giants were out of challenges due to the fact they already had challenged twice, winning one and losing one.

Two things here: First, this call has to be made correctly on the field. Second, it may be time to look at extending the number of challenges per team, allowing an extra challenge for each one that a team wins. If that were the case, the Giants would have been able to correct this obvious mistake.

4. Detroit at Miami

THE SITUATION: Miami had the ball, first-and-10 from the Detroit 13-yard line with 1:30 left in the second quarter. The score was tied at 10.

THE PLAY: Miami quarterback Chad Henne completed a 13-yard pass to Davone Bess for a touchdown. The replay assistant challenged the ruling but the TD was upheld.

MY TAKE: This ball was tipped by Detroit's Tye Hill and caught by Bess after it appeared he may have stepped on the sideline. Bess’ left foot was so close to the sideline that without a down-the-line TV replay, it was impossible for referee Tony Corrente to overrule the call. However, had this been called incomplete on the field, that call would have stood.

5. San Francisco at St. Louis
 

THE SITUATION: St. Louis had the ball, first-and-10 at the San Francisco 49-yard line with 9:49 left in the fourth quarter. St. Louis led, 15-14.

THE PLAY: St. Louis quarterback Sam Bradford completed a 49-yard pass to Denario Alexander for a touchdown. San Francisco challenged the ruling, claiming Alexander didn't get both feet inbounds, and the call was reversed.

MY TAKE: Great pick-up by FOX analyst Tony Siragusa, who saw in real time that Alexander's right heel was down out of bounds after making the catch. San Francisco's Shawtae Spencer touched Alexander, but at that point, the only thing on the ground were Alexander's feet and one hand, and a hand does not make a player down by contact.

The play was correctly reversed. It may be time to put a striped shirt on Siragusa.

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