Getty Images Derek Carr and Baker Mayfield following their Week 4 matchup.
The Cleveland Browns thought they had their second win in as many weeks after Carlos Hyde appeared to gain a first down with his team up by eight and under two minutes remaining in Cleveland’s Week 4 meeting with the Oakland Raiders.
But upon review, referee Walt Anderson overturned the spot of the ball, leaving Baker Mayfield and Co. inches shy of the first-down marker with fourth down coming up.
Here’s the original spot following Hyde’s run.
So the Browns got a first down on the BAD spot, then it was overturned after they took a close look at what should have been a better spot? Rigged.
And here’s one of the replays officials watched to overturn the call.
“After reviewing the play, the runner’s elbow was down and the ball was short of the 19-yard line,” Anderson said.
Dean Blandino, the league’s former vice president of officiating and a current Fox analyst, was stunned, believing officials lacked the evidence to overturn the original call.
“I think we’re all looking at this here in the studio and we’re shocked that they overturned it,” Blandino said. “Again, you don’t have a big line, it’s tough to tell exactly where the ball is. I wouldn’t have overturned that one.”
Reaction of FOX’s Dean Blandino after refs blow another call and make a ridiculous overturn says it all.
Many watching at home couldn’t believe the ruling either.
How in the world could the officials have overturned the Browns first down conversion at the end of regulation?? I thought the standard was supposed to be clear and obvious evidence. Nothing clear and obvious about that spot reversal.
Browns Unhappy With Officiating
“We definitely were shocked,” Hyde said after the game, according to Ohio.com. “We all thought it was a first down. They overturned it, and we had fourth-and-inches. Put the game away. We’ve got to put the game away. We’ve got to get that one.”
Wide receiver Jarvis Landry agreed with Hyde’s assessment: “Listen, it’s an awful call. But, at the end of the day, we can blame the refs, we can blame so many things why it didn’t work out, but that was a tough one.”
“It must have been a heck of a review to overturn that,” Mayfield told The Athletic’s Zac Jackson after the 2018 No. 1 overall pick’s first career start.
More Questionable Calls
Hyde’s revised run wasn’t the only controversial play in the contest.
Earlier in the fourth, Browns defensive lineman Myles Garrett appeared to strip Raiders quarterback Derek Carr with a sack, but officials inexplicably whistled the play dead.
How is this NOT A FUMBLE for the @Browns?!? Took a TD off the board in a CLOSE game!! Awful.
The Raiders suffered their share of baffling calls as well.
Oakland running back Marshawn Lynch appeared to break a big run down the sideline early in the second quarter, only for officials to blow the play dead, ruling that his forward progress had been stopped.
Beastmode went Beastmode again 😳😳😳 @MoneyLynch t.co/KMuO4OLIgy
Rookie defensive end Arden Key was flagged for roughing the passer on this play, in which he briefly made contact with Mayfield, who remained on his feet.
Raiders Come Back for OT Victory
After Hyde’s first down late in the fourth was overturned, the Browns punted. Carr responded by leading a 53-yard drive, finding tight end Jared Cook for a touchdown with 30 seconds remaining. A successful two-point conversion tied things up, and the teams went to overtime.
.@JordyRNelson trying to send this one into OT 👀 t.co/qwpT7bccvp
Oakland kicker Matt McCrane missed a 50-yard field goal on the Raiders’ opening drive of the extra period, but the Browns went just five yards on their ensuing possession.
McCrane didn’t miss on his next chance, connecting on a 29-yarder with 1:46 left for a 45-42 Raiders win.