Commanders Coach Ron Rivera Says NFL Officials Got Crucial Penalty Wrong
The Washington Commanders were going to have a chance.
With the game tied at 17 a piece, the Commanders forced the Minnesota Vikings to try a lead-gaining field goal but preserved 1:52 and a timeout.
Enough time and resources to tie, and try to win.
But a bright yellow flag laid on the ground after the field goal, and it changed everything.
Washington defensive tackle John Ridgeway was flagged for unnecessary roughness and the penalty cost his team just two yards...and a realistic chance to win the game.
"I don't agree with the call," Commanders coach Ron Rivera said on the day following his team's fifth loss of the year. "I went and looked at it and looked at it...and there was, I mean, he didn't hit him with his shoulder pads and didn't hit him with the helmet. He crossed over and caught him with his hip. He was going into the gap."
Ridgeway, it turns out, was doing exactly what he was coached to do.
"The purpose is because when you get across the center and he turns with you, it opens up the crease," Rivera said while explaining his players are coached to do exactly what Ridgeway did. "So the guy in the other gap got a chance to get through it."
The intent, it would seem, is to get the center to open up one seam by trying to protect the other.
The problem, it appears, is that Vikings long-snapper Andrew DePaola did neither.
With his head still down and in an indefensible position, DePaola was still subject to protection by NFL rules, and Ridgeway's actions violated it.
Like it or not.
"I'm gonna ask for an explanation of that just so we know," Rivera continued. "He ripped across and caught him with his hip going across. I mean, if he had hit him with his helmet or shoulder pads, I would not have an issue with it."
As much as Rivera doesn't like the penalty called, he's going to dislike the loss even more.
Especially with a Monday night date with the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles coming in Week 10, and a designed feature of Washington's special teams unit now compromised.
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