An error by the officiating crew on Sunday night robbed the Washington Redskins of a chance for a fourth-quarter comeback against the New York Giants. The miscommunication between officials led to Washington calling a play under the impression it was first and ten - not third and one.
Redskins receiver Pierre Garcon caught a pass on second-and-five with one minute and 37 seconds remaining in regulation. There appeared to be confusion on the field, but the chains along Washington's sideline moved to indicate the Redskins had a first down.
Coach Mike Shanahan said an official told him they had a fresh set of downs, and the Redskins called a play under that assumption. A mid-range pass to tight end Fred Davis fell incomplete. Instead of facing a second-and-ten, the Redskins and an irate Shanahan were told it was fourth-and-one.
A first-down catch by Garcon was ultimately fumbled and sealed the game for New York, 24-17.
WATCH the video HERE (starts at 3:06 mark).
"The chains moved right away and it was first down," Redskins guard Kory Lichtensteiger said of the controversial officiating mistake, via ESPN. "... We thought it was first and 10 so we ran the play. Next thing we know it's fourth and 1 all of a sudden. I don't know how they can take it back. I feel if it's marked, you have to go with it. That changes everything for our offense."
Shanahan said he asked for a measurement after Garcon's first catch but was told by an official it was unnecessary.
"He said, 'You don't have to, it's a first down,'" Shanahan told reporters after the game, via ESPN. "I saw it as a first down on the other side and he signaled to move the chains on our side. I asked him if it was fourth down. He said he already told me it was a first down. ...
"Then, after I saw it was fourth down I asked him, 'You already told me it was first down.' That was quite disappointing."
Referee Jeff Triplette disagreed.
"We signaled third down on the field," Triplette told a Washington Times pool reporter. "The stakes were moved incorrectly. After that play, we said it was still third down. We had signaled third down prior to the play starting. The chains got moved incorrectly."
The NFL could choose to discipline the officiating crew for the gaffe this week.
