Freddie Falcon
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- Mar 16, 2019
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The Cardinals took a lead today against the Falcons thanks in large part to the officials, and the officiating office.
After Cardinals wide receiver Damiere Byrd caught a long pass for a 58-yard gain, he appeared to fumble the ball at the 1-yard line. The ball rolled into the end zone, where the Falcons recovered. But the officials ruled that Byrd was down, and when the Falcons challenged, the officials let the Cardinals keep the ball. Former NFL V.P. of Officiating Mike Pereira, working the game for FOX, was shocked.
“I am very surprised,” Pereira said. “The ball comes out before the forearm hits and you have a clear recovery in the end zone. . . . Not really sure what they saw that would keep them with the ruling on the field.”
Two plays later, the Cardinals scored a touchdown. It seemed to be a major gift from the officials, perhaps a game-changer.
But Pereira then said that, with more time to look at the play from all available angles, he actually wasn’t so sure that Byrd’s leg hadn’t touched the ground before he lost control of the ball. Pereira wasn’t ready to say Riveron got it wrong after all.
What we’re seeing, then, is what a high standard Riveron has for overturning the call on the field. Only plays that are absolutely, positively, no-doubt wrong are to be overturned.