Ball don’t lie: 3 worst calls from Week 14 in the NFL

If you can believe it, NFL officials are improving by the week. Let’s hope that trend continues moving forward.

NFL refs are bad, but they’re not replacement ref bad. Never forget the beginning of the 2012 NFL referee lockout, which left Roger Goodell and Co. with what amounted to college and high school-level officials. Officials have been coddled ever since, and rightly so, as the quality of calls on the field was never worse than those few weeks in 2012. It all came to a head on Monday Night Football, when the Seattle Seahawks beat the Green Bay Packers on a Hail Mary that was called both an interception and a touchdown at the same time.

While Golden Tate made the catch on the field thanks to simultaneous possession, he also clearly pushed off. Ever since, it’s been tabbed as the Fail Mary. Such an unconscionable was even called out by then-President Barack Obama

“Terrible,” President Obama told reporters in response to a question about the game’s ending. “I’ve been saying for months, we’ve gotta get our refs back.”

And get the refs back they did.

This history lesson is to prove that, while at times NFL officiating is embarrassing to the very sport it’s meant to protect, it could always be worse. Remember that next time you’re complaining about a roughing the passer call, which if you can’t tell by this list, will be early and often come playoff time.

3. How many men on the field?

Because this call wasn’t technically *missed, I’ll cut the officials a break and list them at No. 3. But were it not for Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland Browns fans would be howling to this very minute.

Late in their eventual loss to the Baltimore Ravens, the Browns were driving when Baker Mayfield noticed the opposing defense rushing to get some men off the field. Needless to say, John Harbaugh did not succeed in that goal, and Stefanski caught him in the act…but not before a coach’s challenge.

Yes, despite having 15 defenders on the field when the ball was snapped, the Ravens were not called for too many men before replay review. While it’s only a five-yard penalty, every snap is meaningful in such a close divisional contest. Thankfully, Stefanski caught their error. But come on, this is grade school stuff, guys.