The Ravens' 24-17 loss to the Saints on Sunday didn't come without controversy.
In a tie game with 92 seconds left in regulation, the Saints faced a fourth-and-goal from the Ravens' 1-yard line.
Saints quarterback Tyler Shough attempted a quarterback sneak and Ravens inside linebacker Roquan Smith leapt over the pile to try and stop Shough, who appeared to lose the ball on his descent. Cornerback Marlon Humphrey dove into the sea of humanity and picked up the loose pigskin.
However, officials ruled that Shough had crossed the goal line and done it before the ball came loose. After a video review, officials confirmed the call on the field, which gave the Saints a lead that they wouldn't relinquish.
After the game, NFL Vice President of Instant Replay Mark Butterworth explained the ruling to ESPN reporter Jamison Hensley.
"The key here is the ruling on the field is a touchdown," Butterworth said. "So, we need clear and obvious video evidence that he didn't score in order to reverse the on-field ruling. We stopped the game, it's a high-leverage play, we wanted to make sure to either find clear and obvious video evidence that he didn't score or to confirm the call on the field. We exhausted all available angles and could not prove clear and obvious that he did not break the plane of the goal line."
Hensley also asked whether any of the replays showed that Shough lost control of the ball while trying to score.
"No. If he did lose control of the ball, we would need to find, after he regained possession, if the ball broke the plane of the goal line," Butterworth said. "In that mass of players, we weren't able to find clear and obvious video evidence that the ball did not break the plane of the goal line. Therefore, the ruling on the field stands."
It was a tough loss for a Ravens team that tried to change the narrative after too many of their losses in recent years came after they'd held second-half leads, as they did on Sunday. After leading 14-6 at halftime, the Ravens were outscored 18-3 in the second half and 15-0 in the fourth quarter.
"That is such a — you know — interesting play," Head Coach Jesse Minter said. "I give our guys a lot of credit. I felt like [on] back-to-back plays, our front did a really nice job. You know, those are so subjective; it is so hard to tell. It is what it is, honestly."
While Smith believed the Ravens stopped Shough, he understood the decision was out of his hands.
"At the end of the day, whatever the refs call on the field, that is what it is," Smith said. "I did not see it as one, but at the end of the day, they get paid to make the calls out there, I get paid to play ball to the best of my ability, so I cannot focus on what is out of my control."
