Ball don’t lie: 3 worst calls from Week 2 in the NFL
By Mark Powell
2. Bengals hold Odell Beckham, Jr
Joe Burrow’s Battle for Ohio debut went well for the Bengals, but they still fell to the Cleveland Browns in front of an empty Dawg Pound. Cincinnati even received an edge from the officiating, but it wasn’t enough to overcome an improved Baker Mayfield and the Browns’ two-headed rushing monster of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt.
What initially looked like hand-checking at the end of the first half was actually a pretty obvious hold against Beckham, at the very least. Defensive backs are smart to hold and take a minimal penalty rather than give up a touchdown when they’re burnt. When that call isn’t made, however, it gives a little too much power to a defense that already has the odds in their favor given completing a deep ball is unlikely, even in a pass-happy league.