How ironic was it to see the officials execute one final exhibition of incompetence for Raider fans at the Coliseum on Sunday?
Sure, the Raiders had plenty of input in their own demise (as they usually do), but if they can’t get the benefit of a correct call in their final game in Oakland, will they ever?
Making matters worse, while the Raiders were getting their usual treatment from the officials on Sunday, the league office was actively working to amend a call for the Cowboys. When Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott didn’t use the correct terminology to communicate with officials, the officials determined that the Rams would receive the opening kick and the kick after the half.
But the league stepped in.
“At halftime, the league office phoned the officiating crew and informed them a review of Prescott’s words showed he had said “defer,” the Washington Post reported on Sunday. “As in a replay challenge, the league office reversed the call, and the Cowboys received the opening kick of the second half.”
The problem with this stunt is that the Rams were told after the coin toss that they would receive the kick to start the third quarter. They weren’t told until just before the end of the half that they would be kicking. At face value it might seem like the right move by the league, but what if the Rams were managing their first-half gameplan based on what the officials had told them at the coin toss? Furthermore, why doesn’t the league phone in and correct much more important gaffes like what happened to the Raiders on Sunday?
What’s more frustrating is the fact that the league has essentially corrected or apologized to the Cowboys now twice this year. How much worse can a call get than to rule Derek Carr out of bounds on the play below?
Is an apology, at the very least, on the way for the Raiders?
For what it’s worth, former Raiders have been speaking out on the perceived league bias against the Raiders for years. Charles Woodson brought it up again yesterday.
For the Raiders, Sunday’s officiating disaster initiated a forgettable farewell for the Raiders from the fans in Oakland (though nothing warranted most of the drama that carried out after the game). Instead of being remembered for making a game-winning play with his legs, Carr was booed off the field by fans, some of whom were launching beer at him.
Not a good look for the fans, but one that could have happily been avoided if the NFL would have offered the players and fans a competent officiating crew on Sunday.
twitter: @raidersbeat
Until there is a change in the NFL Head office this will be an ongoing story. There is a definite hatred of the Raiders by the League leaders that are being translated down to the on the field officials. They understand that they can’t screw up a call against the Patriots or Cowboys without repercussions but they are almost cheered against the Raiders. At this point, I am almost ready to say bring back the replacement officials because while they may be bad at least they weren’t biased.
All the refs in the nfl must be fired to many incompetent calls that my 3 year old could make.