Sullivan fined for frustration with refs’ touchdown-stealing calls

NFL Senior Vice President of Officiating Walt Anderson and referee Tra Blake were asked to explain why the touchdowns were called back during a Q&A with reporters after the game. Here's how that went... 

Pittman fumble

Question: "Can you take me through the Michael Pittman fumble in the second quarter and why that play was blown dead?"

Blake: "The ruling on the field was that the runner’s forward progress had been stopped. Once he’s wrapped up by the defender and his forward progress is stopped, the play is over. So, any action that happens subsequently after that is nullified because the play is dead. That was the ruling on the field."

Question: "We see plays where running backs extend plays or plays not be blown as fast. How do you determine when forward progress is? Is there a certain amount of time?"

Blake: Forward progress ends once the runner is not making progress towards his goal line any longer. Once we determine that, the play is over."

Question: "And that’s not reviewable correct?"

Blake: “That is correct.”

Anderson: “If the ruling on the field is forward progress, then all we can look at is the position of the ball when forward progress is ruled."

Deon Jackson fumble

Question: "Walt, can you take us through the Deon Jackson fumble in the fourth quarter?"

Anderson: "The original ruling on the field was that the runner that was in the pile was down by contact. Subsequently, a Minnesota player got it back. We had a look and could tell right away that the runner was still up when the ball came loose. We had a good view that it was a clear recovery by Minnesota No. 39. But the ruling on the field was the runner was down by contact. There was a subsequent loose ball and then a recovery by Minnesota and an advance. Minnesota challenged that and by the time they challenged, we had good views. We had an expedited review to announce that it was a fumble, and we had a clear recovery. But all we could do was give Minnesota the ball at the spot of the recovery.”

Question: "Because it’s a dead ball at that point and you can’t do anything?"

Anderson: “It’s technically a dead ball when the officials rule that he’s down by contact. However, the replay rules do allow you to award the defense the ball if that recovery is clearly a fumble and if that recovery is in the immediate continuing action from when the ball comes loose. But you cannot give an advance.”

Question: "Tra, Chandon Sullivan was penalized for taking his helmet off?"

Blake: “He was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct for throwing his helmet on the field, yes.”

Anderson: “By rule, because that foul was dead, he gets penalized wherever the result of the replay process determines the ball is.” Question: Wherever you determined he recovered, it’s 15 yards back.

Anderson: “Correct.”