Dec 9, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys safety Donovan Wilson (6) tackles Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) during the second half at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
The Cincinnati Bengals and their fans were happy to finally win a close game after another MVP-caliber performance from quarterback Joe Burrow.
Social media was ignited at the time, but a Dallas Cowboys special teams blunder allowed the dangerous missed call to fly under the radar after the game.
Everyone saw Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow get mauled except for the officials
In an instance that was not unique to Burrow’s 2024 season, his helmet was swallowed up and twisted by a defender’s hand. Not only is Burrow’s head nearly twisted a full 180 degrees, but the defender’s entire arm/hand envelops the vast majority of the facemask.
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before:
The refs miss a very clear & obvious facemask on Joe Burrow… No flag. Not sure how you can get any more obvious than this. I’ve asked it before & I’ll ask it 1,000 more times…
What in the hell is going on @NFLOfficiating? pic.twitter.com/fZsdPvEF7V
— Josh Reynolds (@JoshReynolds24) December 10, 2024
Burrow fumbled as a result, but the Bengals were able to recover and bring the punt team onto the field. A defensive recovery would’ve directly impacted the outcome of the game in a manner similar to another primetime game earlier this season.
Burrow was attempting to make a game-winning play when his facemask was dragged down by an opposing defender, unbeknownst to the officiating crew once again.
BLATANT hand to the face/facemask on Joe Burrow.
No call from the officials.
How did they not see that? #Bengals pic.twitter.com/dqzAiA7mta
— Joey DeBerardino (@JoeyDeBerardino) November 8, 2024
The regular narrative from NFL fans would follow the lines of a “rigged” NFL or blatant disregard for the safety of particular players on particular teams. That narrative was hard to create with several controversial calls going the way of the Bengals.
An interception that seemed to hit the ground and a catch/fumble that was ruled an incomplete pass were two game-changing controversial calls that favored the Bengals.
It looks like the Geno Stone's interception may have hit the ground.
Catch or no catch? 🤔pic.twitter.com/8Z0NadXjBw
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 10, 2024
Iosivas tucked the ball. He literally put the ball in his right hand and tried to side step the defender.
That's a fumble. What am I missing? https://t.co/OIT0BIvUgg
— Scott Reichel (@ReichelRadio) December 10, 2024
This points to a truth that may be hard to accept for some fans who seem to be on the wrong end of these calls more often than not. The potential truth is that NFL officiating is not broken due to bad actors and nefarious plots that undermine the integrity of the game, but is instead broken due to sheer incompetence.
Potential season-ending injuries being completely overlooked when millions of people can see the penalty with their own eyes in real time does undermine the integrity of the sport, regardless of intention.
Structure is what makes a sport a sport and blatant missed calls continue to break that structure down. Every time officials determine the outcome of a game, fans become increasingly less likely to tune in week after week.
