NFL referees issue statement after controversial calls involving Chargers

Chris Roling | Oct 22, 2024

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

NFL officials took center stage on two key plays during the Los Angeles Chargers' loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Monday night. 

On one, while Justin Herbert and the offense were going down attempting to score their first touchdown of the game late in the fourth quarter, officials picked up a flag on a third down that could have been defensive pass interference. 

The drive stalled, the Chargers kicked their fifth field goal of the night and lost, 17-15. 

After the game, referee Clete Blakeman issued a statement on that situation, according to The Athletic’s Daniel Popper: "The call was that it was essentially uncatchable by way of the flight of the ball and where it landed. So we got together, three or four of us, and decided that it was uncatchable."

That one, at least, could have been a wrong route or a poor throw under pressure from Herbert. 

But the second instance of officials making controversial calls happened on the final drive of the game when rookie corner Cam Hart was called for unnecessary roughness. Here’s Blakeman on that, courtesy of Popper: "It was essentially helmet-to-helmet contact near the head and neck area of the receiver, which is what triggered the foul for unnecessary roughness."

That won’t do anything to stop the legion of NFL fans from ripping officials over the call. The Cardinals went on to kick the game-winning field goal after the flag. 

While the Chargers had plenty of chances to win Monday night and instead had droves of dropped passes, poor tackling and an offensive line that couldn’t hold up, these critically-timed referee controversies loom large in the minds of fans.

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