3 ways the refs tried to screw the Vikings and failed

The referees tried their hardest to keep the Vikings from pulling off the biggest comeback in NFL history, but they ultimately failed.

For most of Saturday’s game between the Vikings and the Colts, it looked like it just wasn’t Minnesota’s day.

The home team fell behind early 17-0 in the first quarter. They went into halftime behind 33-0. The 14 points they scored in the third quarter felt like consolations…until suddenly they weren’t. Suddenly, the Vikings were back in it.

The largest comeback in the history of the NFL ended 39-36. Minnesota outscored the Colts 39-3 in the second half and overtime. And the refs took even more points off the board for the Vikings.

In fact, if not for the officials, Minnesota might have pulled off the comeback even sooner.

3 worst calls as the refs tried to stop the Vikings from beating the Colts

The first scoop-and-score

Vikings fans were furious second quarter when the refs denied them a lifeline while trailing 23-0.

Michael Pittman Jr. was stopped on a two-yard reception but kept fighting for yards when Chandon Sullivan forced a fumble. He picked it up himself and ran it back for a score.

The refs ruled that Pittman’s forward progress was stopped, negating the fumble and the touchdown return.

The fact that the receiver was continuing to fight through contact when he lost the ball had fans convinced the refs had bungled the call.

That call alone would have been a talking point after the game…it was just the first of many potentially game-changing calls.

The phantom facemask

Jalen Reagor had a terrible game, responsible for now fewer than two Kirk Cousins interceptions. However, he nearly made big impact with a long kick return that would have set the Vikings up already in field goal position while trailing by eight.

The 51-yard return was taken away because of a facemask call. Only, no one could find said infraction.

The penalty was called on Kris Boyd, apparently for having his hands in the vicinity of an opponent’s facemask.

The second scoop-and-score

This was the worst of all the calls. It might even be the worst call in the NFL this year.

Colts running back Deon Jackson clearly fumbled while pushing forward for yards. It was an undoubtedly clear fumble, on that Sullivan rushed to pick up and return for a touchdown.

Except the refs whistled Jackson down.

Review rightly determined that Jackson had lost the ball before he went down. But replay couldn’t make things completely right. It could only award possession to the defense because of the clear recovery. Everything that happened after the recovery was wiped away.

Sullivan was rightly furious, and the refs added insult to injury by flagging him for unsportsmanlike conduct.

In the end, stealing away those two defensive touchdowns and the big punt return weren’t enough to deny the Vikings the victory. They beat the odds, the Colts and the refs.