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The Baltimore Ravens thought they had a go-ahead touchdown with 2:47 left in the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday when Lamar Jackson found Isaiah Likely in the end zone.
Likely jumped up and caught the ball in the end zone. He tried to extend his hands far enough in front of him to avoid Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. from knocking the ball away. It appeared Likely didn’t do enough as Porter was able to jostle the ball loose.
NFL officials called the play a touchdown when it first happened. It would have given Baltimore a 28-27 lead at the time. Instead, the call was overturned and ruled an incomplete pass – much to the dismay of Ravens fans at M&T Bank Stadium.
CBS broadcaster Tony Romo thought the play was a touchdown.
“To me, that seemed like a touchdown,” Romo said as he and Jim Nantz watched the replay. Nantz agreed.
NFL Vice President of Instant Replay Mark Butterworth talked about the decision to reverse the touchdown call.
“The receiver controlled the ball in the air, had his right foot down, then his left foot down,” Butterworth said, via a pool report. “The control is the first aspect of the catch. The second aspect is two feet or a body part in bounds, which he did have. Then the third step is an act common to the game and before he could get the third foot down, the ball was ripped out. Therefore, it was an incomplete pass.”
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Butterworth said Likely needed to have a third step in the end zone to complete the catch.
CBS’ NFL rules analyst Gene Steratore agreed on the call too. He wrote on X that Likely needed the third step as well.
Baltimore turned the ball over on downs later in the drive. The Ravens were able to force the Steelers to punt and got the ball back with 2:08 left in the game. However, they couldn’t muster another potential score.
Pittsburgh won the game, 27-22.
The Steelers were also on the receiving end of another questionable call earlier in the fourth quarter.
Aaron Rodgers threw a pass that was batted back toward him. He jumped up and fought for control of the ball, but initially appeared to lose the battle. It was ruled that Ravens defensive lineman Teddye Buchanan intercepted the pass. However, officials overturned that call as well.
The Steelers got the ball back but punted to end the drive. An interception would have given the Ravens possession in optimal range to score a touchdown or at least a field goal.
Pittsburgh moved to 7-5 with the win and are in sole possession of first place in the AFC North. Baltimore fell to 6-7.
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