Whatever Brian Flores thought about expanded replay for pass interference before Sunday, it’s probably a safe bet he’s ready for it to go away after Sunday.
The Dolphins almost had their fourth victory. But the NFL’s director of officiating dropped a flag on a booth review of a Jets’ third-and-18 play late in the game. The Jets kicked the game-winning field goal on the final play.
Flores ran after a game official following the 22-21 loss, expressing his displeasure with the call before an assistant pulled the head coach toward the locker room.
“We lost the game. I was upset we lost the game,” Flores said, via Cameron Wolfe of ESPN. “I’m not going to answer any questions about the officiating.”
The Jets faced a third-and-18 from the Dolphins’ 46-yard line with 47 seconds remaining. Sam Darnold threw an incomplete pass toward receiver Vyncint Smith, who was covered by Dolphins cornerback Nik Needham.
Pass interference wasn’t called on the field, but the booth called for a review of the play. Al Riveron overturned the call on the field, dropping a flag to give the Jets a first down on Miami’s 38-yard line. Sam Ficken kicked the game-winning 44-yard field goal four plays later.
“We got a couple of replays which show us that it’s clear and obvious that the defender grabs the receiver by his shoulder, turns him prior to the ball getting there, and significantly hinders him before the ball arrives,” Riveron said in a pool report. “Therefore, by rule, that’s defensive pass interference. . . .Therefore, we changed the ruling on the field, and we put a flag down for defensive pass interference.”
Needham disagreed, but his opinion meant nothing Sunday.
