Refs Prevented Jared Goff, Lions from Reaching Playoffs

Or so claims an ESPN report in which NFL executives and coaches criticized calls that helped Seahawks beat Rams

Former Cal quarterback Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions would be playing a playoff game this weekend if the referees in the game between the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams had done their job correctly.

That seems to be the conclusion of a story by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, who reported that a number of NFL executives and coaches said game officials and the league missed multiple calls that helped the Seahawks get their overtime victory over the Rams.

That win along with the Lions’ win over Green Bay later that day put the Seahawks in the playoffs with the seventh and final wild-card berth in the NFC. Seattle and Detroit finished with identical 9-8 records, but the Seahawks’ victory over the Lions earlier in the season was the tiebreaker that earned thr Seahawks a berth against the 49ers on Saturday. If the Seahawks had lost to the Rams, Detroit would have earned the final playoff spot and would have faced the 49ers.

"The Lions should be livid," one source told ESPN. "It was an awful way for them to end their season."

Goff had perhaps his best season as a pro and was playing particularly well late in the season, throwing 15 touchdown passes with no interceptions over the final nine games.  It would have been interesting to see how he would do against the outstanding defense of the the 49ers, who were the team Goff followed growing up in the Bay Area. He wears No. 16 because Joe Montana wore that number. And now he must deal with this report.

There is this excerpt from the Schefter story:

Even the NFL's competition committee is aware of what one source described to ESPN "as the worst officiated game of the year."

And this:

Multiple sources told ESPN that the Rams were upset by the officiating, the Lions were bothered by it and the competition committee was frustrated by it.

Let’s look at the disputed plays:

Nearly midway through the fourth quarter of the Los Angeles-Seattle game, officials called what some officials and coaches believed to be a questionable running into the kicker penalty on Rams defensive end and special teams player Jonah Williams, who was flagged for running into Seahawks punter Michael Dickson.

Replays suggested Williams was blocked into the kicker, but the ruling gave Seattle a much needed first down.

In the closing seconds of the fourth quarter, Jalen Ramsey was flagged for unnecessary roughness on Geno Smith. After the flag against Ramsey, Seahawks receiver DK Metcalf poked his hand into Ramsey's face -- in clear sight of the back judge -- but was not penalized.

Then later

With 9:26 remaining in overtime, Smith came under heavy pressure and threw a pass away to his right that some said should have been intentional grounding, but wasn't called. Smith's pass landed at Seattle's 23-yard line, well short of tight end Noah Fant, who was the nearest Seahawks eligible receiver at the 35-yard line.

And finally

Later in the overtime period, Seattle's Quandre Diggs intercepted Baker Mayfield. Replays showed that Diggs pointed at former Seahawks and current Rams linebacker Bobby Wagner, but officials did not call a taunting penalty that would have pushed back Seattle 15 yards. The Seahawks instead started their final drive at their own 36-yard line and won on Jason Myers’' 32-yard field goal.

As a result, a number of NFL executives said the league needs to re-evaluate how it trains and selects officials.

But for now, the Lions and Goff are left to stew.

Goff has not issued any statement regarding this report, but you can bet that he will understate his anger and limit his criticism.  It's not his style.

Cover photo of Jared Goff by Jeff Hanisch, USA TODAY Sports

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