During the Tennessee Titans loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, the story changed course in the second quarter when the Titans stopped the Vikings on 3rd-and-goal. A flag came out after safety Mike Brown laid out Jordan Addison in the end zone.
The officials called unnecessary roughness on Brown, despite Brown hitting Addison in the chest, not launching, and not leading with his head. As NFL officials continue to get calls wrong, Clete Blakeman’s crew heads the list of controversial calls.
Titans’ defensive end Jeffery Simmons chimed in on the impact of the officials:
Jeffery Simmons on the calls vs the #Titans: I think we’re cursed when it comes to officiating. pic.twitter.com/yIufs5A2TG
— TURRON DAVENPORT (@TDavenport_NFL) November 17, 2024
“It’s hard, you know?” Simmons told reporters, “It’s hard when you getting them type of calls when you’re making plays, you’re getting ready to get off the field on third down, what may be, and we get a penalty. And some of them were late, it’s like we’re coming off the field and I’m celebrating, and here comes a flag. Things like that, man, it’s out of our control. I think we’re cursed when it comes to officiating right now.”
He’s not wrong, the timing of many of the Titans’ penalties came at times when the momentum could have swung their way. Offensive tackle JC Latham noted that one of the officials told him to scootch up on the very first play.
JC Latham said an official told him to scooch up on the very first play. Isaiah Prince got called for three illegal formations, to avoid erased big plays. #Titans pic.twitter.com/KbuGE8AsMq
— Paul Kuharsky (@PaulKuharskyNFL) November 17, 2024
“I mean, the rule is your head has to crack the center’s hip,” he said. “You know, I always, every time I inches away, I kind of just look to my left and I see the center’s hip. Sometimes they call it and sometimes I disagree, but it is what it is, you just have to keep playing.”
This only adds to the controversy around the Week 11 matchup as it becomes apparent just how involved they were with what happened on the field.
