Vrabel Changed Approach to Challenges Against Browns
Mike Vrabel let the challenge flag fly twice on Sunday against the Cleveland Browns and met with mixed results.
Vrabel typically doesn’t challenge many plays. Never, when it involves his offense, at least not until now.
His first challenge came on a fourth-and-1 when officials ruled Derrick Henry was stopped short of a first down on the Tennessee Titans’ opening possession. The second came late in the third quarter when a short pass to Cameron Batson was ruled incomplete.
Those were the 12th and 13th times, respectively, that he has thrown the red challenge flag since he became the Titans coach. The first 11 involved plays by the opponent’s offense.
He has gotten four reversals.
“It’s hard. It’s hard to predict,” Vrabel said Monday. “A lot of these instances, they are
going to defer to the call on the field.”
Sunday was just the second time in 44 games as a head coach that Vrabel challenged more than one call. The first was at Indianapolis on Dec. 1, 2019 – and he was successful with both. Things did not work out as well this time.
On the Henry run, officials did not have the necessary video evidence to alter or confirm the spot. So, the call on the field stood. That was Vrabel’s first time challenging the spot of the ball in his career. All of his other challenges were for pass plays or potential turnovers.
“We have spoken about the spot challenges, and how hard they are,” Vrabel said. “Whether you think that Derrick’s knee wasn’t down, or was down, or if you don’t have it down the line, then everything comes together perfectly. Those calls are difficult to overturn.”
The pass to Batson – on fourth-and-4 from the Cleveland 22 – was changed from incomplete to a five-yard gain and extended a potential scoring drive. The next play was an interception that ended the threat.
“I thought that Batson had gotten his elbow down,” Vrabel said. “From my view, one guy called it incomplete. The other guy wanted to call it complete.
“… I wasn’t sure if we would get that one either. But I guess it was clear and obvious that his elbow had touched, or that a body part had touched.”
Through the first 11 games this season, Vrabel issued one replay challenge. That was against Cincinnati on Nov. 1, and it was unsuccessful. He is now 1-2 on 2020 challenges.
In 2019, he used five and three were reversed. He also used five as a first-time head coach in 2018 but didn’t receive a single reversal.
“What is clear and obvious to one person, might not be so to another,” Vrabel said. “We will keep trying to use the replay when we can get something out of it.”
