Browns get screwed by refs with brutal pass interference call (Video)

The Cleveland Browns were up against it facing the Raiders with a number of starters missing due to COVID and the refs decided to add another hurdle.

Not much was normal about the Cleveland Browns‘ matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders. For starters, they kicked off on Monday at 5 p.m. ET after the game originally scheduled for Saturday was postponed due to a COVID-19 outbreak on Cleveland’s roster.

Beyond that, though, the postponement didn’t allow too many of the key starters missing for Cleveland to make it off the COVID list, notably with Baker Mayfield, Jedrick Wills, head coach Kevin Stefanski, and many others out.

Suffice it to say, the Browns were up against it already for this matchup.

So it made it that much harder to swallow when the refs threw a flag for defensive pass interference on cornerback M.J. Stewart on an underthrown deep ball where he and Raiders receiver Zay Jones were both fighting to get back to the ball.

Browns screwed by bad call, pass interference penalty: Twitter reacts

Both Cleveland fans and those watching alike could not believe that the Browns were flagged for a penalty on the play.

That flag should’ve never been thrown. There aren’t many better instances of each player initiating contact in order to try and make a play on the ball than this one. So to say Stewart or, if it were reversed, Jones, gained an advantage worthy of a penalty is asinine.

Cleveland got off the field and forced a punt after the penalty but, still, the team got screwed in the field position battle by a flag that should’ve stayed in the ref’s pocket.