After Further Review: Jets-Seahawks 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

Seahawks 4-35 (leading to one Jets first down)
Jets 7-50 (leading to three Seattle first downs)

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

Jets Penalties

  • Mekhi Becton false start. This was notable because the Jets were less than 30 seconds away from making it to halftime without a single penalty.
  • George Fant false start.
  • Quinnen Williams offside. Strictly speaking this should have been announced as a neutral zone infraction rather than offside, but Williams did jump and didn't get back before the snap.

Seahawks Penalties

  • DK Metcalf unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for jumping into the stands and messing around with a TV camera.
  • Penny Hart illegal motion. This would have been an illegal formation penalty because the tight end on that side was on the line of scrimmage. Hart realized and took a step back but Seattle snapped the ball before he was set.

Penalties warranting further discussion or explanation

Jets Penalties

  • Bryce Hall defensive holding on DK Metcalf. Hall put his hands on Metcalf's outside shoulder as he was progressing upfield but didn't seem to grab or impede his progress and Metcalf himself was using contact to get Hall off him so this could have been 50:50. Clearly Hall thought he'd done a good job because he celebrated the incompletion before noticing the flag.
  • Marcus Maye illegal contact. This one seemed more clear-cut. There was some incidental contact beyond five yards but then Maye was leaning all over the receiver further downfield as well.
  • Harvey Langi holding penalty on a punt. Dragged Bellore to the ground.
  • Blessuan Austin unsportsmanlike penalty after the Jets made a 3rd-and-19 stop. This was badly-timed and also bad optics to get flagged for taunting while your're trailing by 30-something points. It's understandable that Jets players are feeling frustrated and letting their emotions boil over though.

Seahawks Penalties

  • Duane Brown holding penalty. Grabbed Williams as Russell Wilson was flushed from the pocket.
  • DJ Reed illegal contact to negate a sack. This may have been harsh as it looked like Jeff Smith initiated the contact but running straight into Reed. The on-screen graphic indicated this was on Jayson Stanley but that was an error.
  • Nick Bellore holding on a punt. This actually happened as he blocked the interior punt rush but then held onto his man a beat too long once the ball was kicked to slow that man from turning to run back downfield.

Notable no-calls

Once again there was a pretty low penalty count in this game but the Jets had a gripe on several plays. Here's a selection:

  • Javelin Guidry was held down the field on an end around run.
  • Ugo Amadi clearly arrived early and should have been called for pass interference as he clattered into Braxton Berrios over the middle.
  • Breshad Perriman was clearly interfered with by Shaq Griffin in the end zone. Griffin pulled down on Perriman's arm so he couldn't make a play on the ball.
  • Damien Lewis - who entered the game as the league-leader in offensive penalties but was not flagged - grabbed Williams around the head and neck and dragged him down on Chris Carson's touchdown run.
  • Alton Robinson hit Sam Darnold in the head as he was flushed from the pocket.

In terms of the Jets, they didn't seem to get away with anything until they were gifted a first down on their very last possession when they weren't even really trying to score. Josh Adams was about a yard short of the marker on the play but the Jets only snapped the ball once more anyway.

Actually, though, there easily could have been an illegal block in the back on Corey Ballentine's long return as Daniel Brown shoved Bellore down. That was about the only break they got though.

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