Boomer Frustrated By Controversial Fumble Call: 'That Was A Touchdown'
BOSTON (CBS) -- What are the rules?
That's what many NFL fans are asking themselves on Monday morning, still racking their brains over a controversial fumble call that whipped out a Jets touchdown in their loss to the New England Patriots. New York tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins appeared to score a fourth-quarter touchdown, but after replay review, the league offices determined Seferian-Jenkins lost control of the ball before he crossed the plane of the goal line, never regained possession before rolling out of the end zone, and therefore the call was reversed and ruled a fumble. Instead of a touchdown for the Jets, it was a touch back for the Patriots.
You can put Boomer Esiason of WFAN and CBS' The NFL Today in the group of fans still baffled by the call.
"I can't explain it," Boomer told 98.5 The Sports Hub's Toucher & Rich on Monday morning. "The key word is 'indisputable.' There has to be indisputable evidence to overturn the call on the field. It was called a touchdown in the first place. When you get to that replay, you look and say 'is this indisputable evidence?' Not to be coy, but I never saw that indisputable evidence. I'm frustrated and I think all NFL fans are frustrated by it.
"Fans want legitimacy and want to see touchdowns that are touchdowns. In the eyes of millions of NFL fans, whether you're a Patriots fan or not, that was a touchdown." he said. "For all of us who are watching football on TV, and see the replays and get the convoluted press conference from Tony Corrente, that makes it even murkier. It makes you realize that was not the right call yesterday."
While video replays are often used to right a wrong, there are many times where the replays are slowed down and over-analyzed to the point of nit-picking.
"What they want is a definitive answer to all the questions they're posed. That's what everyone wants and everyone wants the right answer. But it's interesting that the New York guys, who were looking at it, the same video we're looking at TV – I never saw a different angle or anything that showed me when Austin Seferian-Jenkins broke the goal line," explained Boomer. "These things, I guess they happen too much because we're talking about a new one every couple of weeks.
"It's a frustrating situation and I know for the Jets, their fans and the players who played in that game, they put everything they had into it and almost beat the defending champion Patriots. For that to happen, it makes it all the more frustrating for the Jets fans and players," said Boomer.
Esiason also discusses Aaron Rodgers' season-ending injury, and the hit that broke the quarterback's collarbone. He adds that there's no way the Packers go out and sign Colin Kapernick, and doesn't think the free agent quarterback has any chance at winning his lawsuit against the NFL. Listen to the full podcast above!