If you’re someone who likes to see the officials leave penalty flags in their pockets at the end of a game, you probably didn’t enjoy the finish of Week 7’s game between the Cleveland Browns and Indianapolis Colts. And if you were cheering for the Colts, you definitely didn’t enjoy the finish.
Trailing by five in the final minute, Cleveland had the ball deep in Indianapolis territory. On a third-and-four, Colts linebacker E.J. Speed sacked Browns quarterback P.J. Walker and forced a fumble. DeForest Buckner recovered the ball to seemingly secure a victory for the Colts. There was some dispute about whether Walker’s arm might have been going forward, but that was quickly rendered moot.
Indianapolis’ Darrell Baker Jr. was penalized for illegal contact against Cleveland’s Amari Cooper. With that, the turnover was wiped out and the Browns were given a clean set of downs.
Brutal finish for the Colts against the Browns.
E.J. Speed strip sacks P.J. Walker. DeForest Buckner recovers, apparently clinching the game.
But Darrell Baker is penalized for illegal contact, negating the turnover and giving the Browns a first down. pic.twitter.com/hoYe7b1Tea
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) October 22, 2023
It didn’t get any better for the Colts.
On the next play, Walker attempted to find Donovan Peoples-Jones in the end zone. The ball fell incomplete. And while there was definite contact between Peoples-Jones and Baker, the ball was thrown well out of the end zone. Despite the catch seemingly being uncatchable, Baker was again penalized, this time for pass interference.
Baker is penalized again on the next play, this time for pass interference.
That gives the Browns a first down at the one-yard line. pic.twitter.com/7pfCjOQraN
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) October 22, 2023
Cleveland was now at the one-yard line. But the Indianapolis defense held strong, stopping the Browns on three straight plays, setting up a fourth down. Walker handed the ball off to Kareem Hunt and while the Colts didn’t make it easy on him, Hunt broke the plane of the goal line, giving the Browns the lead.
The Colts defense keeps the Browns out of the end zone on three plays, setting up a fourth down.
It’s a struggle, but Kareem Hunt punches the ball into the end zone for the score, giving the Browns the lead. pic.twitter.com/Q7dbtVGHMW
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) October 22, 2023
Any hopes that the Colts might be able to pull a miracle off quickly went away when Za’Darius Smith strip-sacked Gardner Minshew. Cleveland’s Ogbonnia Okoronkwo fell on the loose ball, sealing the victory.
After the game, there was a lot of frustration that the referees had such a big role in the game’s conclusion.
Colts got screwed.
Thanks @NFLOfficiating
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) October 22, 2023
Boy, did the #Colts ever get royally screwed this afternoon.
— Mike Greenberg (@Espngreeny) October 22, 2023
This was called DPI on the Colts. Is this even catchable…?pic.twitter.com/oYAaNxMdzx https://t.co/B3idue44nU
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 22, 2023
I’ve never been one of those “NFL is fixed” guys but holy shit this was bad. The guy who threw the flag should be named, blamed and suspended for the rest of the season. https://t.co/PveEbxGWeZ
— Gerry Callahan (@GerryCallahan) October 22, 2023
This still blows my mind…
Anyone with two eyes can see that this is an UNCATCHABLE PASS…
Refs dictating the outcome of games is bad for the sport. Colts are going to lose because of this. Unacceptable.
pic.twitter.com/QKpzOrhVrP— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) October 22, 2023
Refs as soon as the Colts get a stop against the Browns pic.twitter.com/2fca3nbJi1
— ItsASaintsThing (@ItsASaintsThing) October 22, 2023
[Photo Credit: CBS]
