Hightower's Help From Official On Folk's Field Goal Attempt A Non-Issue
BOSTON (CBS) -- Can a Patriots-Jets game ever end without some controversy?
Apparently not. Faithful followers of the Jets are crying foul following the team's 27-25 loss to the Patriots on Thursday night, wondering why an official gave Dont'a Hightower a helping hand on Nick Folk's potential game-winning kick.
On the 58-yard attempt, Hightower first lined up just over the Jets long snapper, which according to the rule book, should have been a five-yard penalty. But an official walked over to Hightower, grabbed him by the right arm and apparently told him to move over, which the Pats' linebacker did (check out the video here).
The Jets snapped the ball a second later, and Chris Jones blocked the attempted kick at the line to secure the win for New England. A five-yard penalty on Hightower would have given the Jets kicker a shot at a much more reasonable 53-yard attempt for the win.
While Jets fans are questioning the official's actions, this kind of play happens often. According to Dean Blandino, the NFL's Vice President of Officiating, the move is a "standard officiating mechanic" to keep players safe.
Reporters were very quick to point out other instances of a ref telling a player that he was not lined up properly this season.
SB Nation's Rich Hill also went all eagle eye on the tape, and says Hightower was not lined up in a way that would have led to a penalty.
So it appears as though this one is a complete non-issue. But what's a Patriots-Jets game without a few non-issues sprinkled throughout?
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