Every human being in the world makes mistakes -- yes, even NFL referees.
But some calls are just so bad that you can't help but shake your head at these folks sometimes. And these types of calls (or non-calls in many cases) seem to be occurring a little more frequently these days, don't you think?
Instant replay fixes some of them, but some plays aren't classified as "reviewable," a prime example being the first of the three worst calls we'll look at from Week 3 of the 2023 NFL season.
Week 3 NFL Worst Calls: Browns WR Amari Cooper was robbed of a touchdown against the Titans
Late in the second quarter of the Week 3 matchup between the Cleveland Browns and Tennessee Titans, Deshaun Watson hit Amari Cooper with a perfect pass down the left sideline.
Despite having Titans cornerback Kristian Fulton draped all over him, Cooper secured the catch and began running toward what looked to be a guaranteed touchdown.
The official, however, who was in great position as the play unfolded, blew his whistle as he deemed Cooper had stepped out of bounds. That, of course, was not the case. But since the play was whistled dead, it falls under the "un-reviewable" category.
So, instead of a touchdown, Cooper was only credited with a 25-yard gain. The drive ultimately resulted in a field goal.
Thankfully, the call had no bearing on the outcome as Cleveland rolled to an easy 27-3 win. Cooper eventually did reach the end zone in the fourth quarter as he and Watson connected for a 43-yard touchdown to end the scoring for the day.
The four-time Pro Bowler said afterward that he at least received an apology from the official, an apology fantasy football owners who have Amari Cooper on their roster aren't willing to accept.
Week 3 NFL Worst Calls: Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick's phantom "roughing the passer" penalty on Raiders QB Jimmy Garoppolo
Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick took a lot of heat in Week 2 as he's the one who made the tackle that ended Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb's season. And that heat was unwarranted as it was a perfectly legal play that simply happened to result in a terrible injury.
In Week 3, the spotlight was on Fitzpatrick yet again during the Steelers' Sunday Night Football matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders, this time for a "roughing the passer" penalty on Jimmy Garoppolo.
Trailing by 16 in the fourth quarter, the Raiders were driving and facing 2nd & 10 on the Steelers' 18-yard line. As Jimmy G dropped back to pass, Fitzpatrick burst through the line and sacked him for what appeared to be a six-yard loss.
But that six-yard loss turned into a nine-yard gain as Fitzpatrick was penalized for "roughing the passer," moving Las Vegas forward half the distance to the goal.
The officials explained to Fitzpatrick that he was flagged for a helmet-to-helmet hit. But instant replay, which wasn't used during the game, clearly showed that Fitzpatrick hit Garoppolo's shoulder, not his head.
The Raiders scored a touchdown three plays later, and the ensuing two-point conversion cut the Steelers' lead to eight.
Thankfully for Mike Tomlin & Co, the penalty ultimately didn't matter as Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels apparently forgot how to read a clock as Pittsburgh hung on for a 23-18 win.
Week 3 NFL Worst Calls: The pass interference no-call on Ravens WR Zay Flowers in Baltimore's overtime loss to the Colts
Before we get to the no-call in question, let me lead with this. The Baltimore Ravens shouldn't have been in overtime with the Indianapolis Colts in the first place. They had several chances to put the game away in regulation and failed to do so.
However, that doesn't change the fact that a horrible no-call in the extra frame changed the entire game.
Facing 4th & 3 from the Colts' 47-yard line, the Ravens opted to go for it as opposed to trotting Justin Tucker out for another 60-plus-yard field goal (he missed from 61 with six seconds remaining in the fourth quarter).
Quickly after taking the snap, Lamar Jackson attempted to hit Zay Flowers on a shallow slant across the middle of the field. Before the ball arrived, however, Indianapolis linebacker E.J. Speed clearly interfered. But much to the dismay of Flowers and the entire Baltimore team, no flag was thrown, thus resulting in a turnover on downs.
Five plays later, Matt Gay kicked a 53-yard field, his record fourth kick of 50-plus yards on the day, to give the Colts a 22-19 win.
Now, there's no guarantee that the Ravens would've scored had they gotten a fresh set of downs. But giving Tucker, the most accurate kicker in NFL history, a shorter distance with which to work in the rain certainly ups the percentage.
Seems like it was "pick on the AFC North" week for NFL officials, doesn't it?
