After Further Review: Jets-Falcons Officiating

By popular demand, we're again going to have a post after each game that breaks down some of the controversial decisions from the officiating crew in the game.

Penalty Count

Falcons 4-66 (leading to two Jets first downs)
Jets 7-58 (leading to four Titans first downs)

Plays where the call was obvious, uncontroversial or not visible on broadcast footage

Jets Penalties

  • Illegal shift on the first drive. This didn't matter because the third down pass was incomplete anyway, but the official said that 84 and 86 were moving at the same time. Actually, it was Jamison Crowder, not Ryan Griffin, that moved at the same time as Davis and didn't get set.
  • Jarrod Wilson pass interference on Kyle Pitts over the middle. Clear jersey-grab with the ball in the air.
  • Elijah Moore illegal touching. This negated Moore's spectacular leaping sideline catch, because the officials saw him touch the sideline before making the catch. This wasn't clear in real time or on the TV broadcast.
  • Ace Carter illegal use of the hands. This came in pass protection and threatened to stop the Jets momentum on their best drive of the day. It negated a short completion to Ryan Griffin. The call seemed fair.
  • Illegal formation on the onside kick against Wilson. Left his position early so he wasn't a yard behind the line as the ball was kicked.

Falcons Penalties

  • Duron Harmon pass interference on Corey Davis over the middle. This wasn't entirely clear from the TV footage but Davis looked to have won an inside leverage advantage so there was probably a grab and nobody seemed to protest this call.
  • Jake Matthews false start. Dropped into his stance a split-second before the snap.

Penalties warranting further discussion or explanation

Jets Penalties

  • Roughing the passer on Quincy Williams. This was a massive moment, as it extended the Falcons' opening drive. Robert Saleh said that he felt Williams made a clean hit and tried not to land on the quarterback and this seems to be true from the replays. It was a big hit, so perhaps the officials thought there was a launching element to the hit, but again, replays show this not to be the case.
  • Defensive holding on Nathan Shepherd. As we've already discussed this year, these calls on defensive linemen are rare but seem to affect the Jets a lot. One official called a chop block on the Falcons but it was correct to pick that one up. Basically, the guard climbed to the second level and Shepherd blatantly grabbed him to prevent this. That was also the only reason he was engaged with the lineman when contacted below the waist so the chop block was legal.
  • Roughing the passer, again on Shepherd. This turned a 22-yard gain into a 37-yard gain and the flag was thrown because he hit Matt Ryan low. This is always a judgement call as to whether the player dived in low or was falling to the ground. Shepherd did kind of stumble into the hit but he wasn't tripped or anything and would otherwise have had time to pull up.
  • Defensive holding on Quinnen Williams on the Falcons' last touchdown. This one wasn't something you'd usually see called, as Jake Matthews got an initial drive and then Williams looked to have dragged him out of the way in an attempt to get off his block. The runner scored anyway so it perhaps doesn't matter.

Falcons Penalties

  • Matt Hennessy holding on Sheldon Rankins in the fourth quarter. An obvious tackle on Rankins to prevent him from completing a sack. The penalty negates a 29-yard gain which probably wouldn't have happened without it. This was only Atlanta's second penalty with less than 12 minutes to go.
  • AJ Terrell pass interference on Elijah Moore. This was a clear penalty for 41 yards to set up a touchdown and there was clearly contact before the ball, which was late and underthrown, arrived.

Notable no-calls

Here were some of the notable missed calls, controversial moments or review situations.

  • Jalen Mayfield shoved Quinnen Williams over after a play with five minutes to go which would have meant Atlanta had 3rd-and-28 with five minutes to go on their last touchdown drive, instead of the 3rd-and-13 they converted. It was a bit of a flop by Williams though.
  • Saleh was justifiably complaining about Carter being tripped in the hole on the Jets' first field goal drive.
  • The Falcons got away with an illegal block in the back on Ryan Griffin on one punt.
  • The replay booth wasn't used but perhaps the Jets might have been able to challenge the Moore catch if they felt he didn't step out of bounds.

It's difficult to see potential missed calls in real time, so feel free to share any more that you noticed in the comments section.

Let us know what we missed - or misinterpreted - in the comments...