Shock 'n Awful: Patriots Lose to Raiders on One of Dumbest Plays in NFL History; WATCH
The New England Patriots and the Las Vegas Raiders are no strangers to officiating controversy.
Yet, controversy and discombobulation would lead to the Pats 30-24 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday afternoon at Allegiant Stadium.
While no call from the officials could eclipse the drama of 2002’s Tuck Rule on a snowy January night in Foxboro, the Pats Week 15 matchup with the Raiders yielded its own questionable call with the game on the line.
With 32 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Raiders quarterback Derek Carr attempted to find wide receiver Keelan Cole toward the back of the end zone for a 30-yard scoring strike. While it was initially ruled a touchdown by the line official, the play was automatically reviewed, having taken place with less than two minutes left in the game.
Multiple camera angles and still-shots seemed to indicate that Cole’s toe first made contact with the ground on the white, out-of bounds mark. Accordingly, the play would have ruled an incomplete pass, giving the ball back to Las Vegas for third down.
Unfortunately for the Patriots, the officials did not concur and awarded the touchdown to Cole and Raiders. Kicker Daniel Carlson’s extra point was good, and Las Vegas tied the game at 24 with just over a half-minute to play.
At this point, disbelief and justifiable frustration gave way to the bizarre.
With time expiring and facing 3rd and 10 from their own 45-yard line, the Patriots attempted one last-gasp effort to end the game on a big play.
They did … but not the way they had planned.
Running back Rhamondre Stevenson took a handoff from quarterback Mac Jones up the middle to the Raiders 32 yard-line. However, in the face of a certain tackle, the second-year rusher flipped the ball back to receiver Jakobi Meyers who caught it at the Raiders 40-yard marker. Meyers would inexplicably attempt to lateral the ball back to Mac Jones, only to have his attempt intercepted by Las Vegas defensive end (and ex-Patriot) Chandler Jones, who returned it 48 yards for the game-winning touchdown.
The Pats fell to the Raiders 30-24 at Allegiant Stadium, dropping them to 7-7 on the season.
Follow Mike D’Abate on Twitter @mdabateNFL and Listen/Subscribe to his daily podcast: Locked On Patriots
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