Jaguars HC Doug Marrone Didn't See End of Controversial Derek Carr Run Because of a "No-Call" During Play
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — In the final minutes of the Jacksonville Jaguars' 20-16 victory over the Oakland Raiders on Sunday, it appeared as if Raiders quarterback Derek Carr had nearly sealed the game with a 12-yard run for a first down with 2:05 left.
But despite Carr sliding to the ground while still in bounds, the referees ruled him out of bounds and stopped the clock, saving Jacksonville a timeout. Due to the confusion from Oakland's sideline about the clock stoppage, Oakland was also hit with a delay of game penalty. Raiders head coach Jon Gruden challenged the play but ended up losing a timeout because it was a non-reviewable play.
Oakland's offense then stalled and kicker Daniel Carlson proceeded to miss both a 50-yard and a 45-yard kick to go up 19-13. Not only did the botched call give Jacksonville more time, but it gave them field position as well.
“I couldn’t believe it. I’ve never seen anything like it," Gruden fumed after the game. "I’ve got people up in the press box that clearly tell me he gave himself up in the field of play, and I’m waiting for the clock to wind to two minutes. I’m still waiting, and it never happened. Unbelievable. I thought somebody would overturn it. I thought that’s the reasoning for instant replay."
On Monday, Gruden said the NFL had apologized for the botched call, saying it "cost us dearly." So, was the reaction of Jaguars coach Doug Marrone to the most critical call of the game? He initially didn't see the slide because of another point he was trying to make to the officials himself, he said Monday.
"At first, my first reaction obviously if you saw the game was there was a no-call that I thought was pretty obvious out there in space. And then when he went to slide out, I didn’t see that," Marrone said. "My focus was on the no-call and trying to get the officials’ attention to that."
Marrone said once the play got settled, he began thinking about how much time Jacksonville would have on the clock if they got a stop. Oakland ended up passing on third down, and its field goal unit came to the field with over 1:30 left in the game. Marrone knew if Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson missed, his team would have a shot.
"I saw in pregame [Carlson] from the left hash miss two [kicks] wide left. And then this ball was on the right hash, so I’m thinking, ‘Shoot, if he missed two of them wide left, he’ll probably make them down the middle,’ which is tough," he said. "And then he wound up missing the two. So again, I thought it gave us a little bit more opportunity, gave us a little bit more time. That was my thought process, because I’m trying to tell the offense, ‘Hey, we’re going to get this ball, this is what we’re going to have left [on the clock],’ when all that stuff is going on.”
