Referees From Raiders/Bengals Game Not Expected To Work Again This Postseason

According to Adam Schefter, the officials from Saturday’s Raiders/Bengals playoff game are not expected to work again during the playoffs due to a controversial call. 

The crew, led by official Jerome Boger, was responsible for an inadvertent whistle on a touchdown pass from Bengals QB Joe Burrow to WR Tyler Boyd in the second quarter that made the score 20-6. It appears on video the side judge thought Burrow stepped out of bounds and blew the whistle while the play was still in process. 

.@JoeyB's Awareness = 100

Watch on NBC pic.twitter.com/VqDsHh3hgb

— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) January 15, 2022

By rule, that should have made the play dead and caused Cincinnati to replay the down. However, the officials decided to leave the touchdown on the board. The Bengals eventually won 26-19. 

In the NFL’s official comment on the play, senior VP of officiating Walt Anderson said the crew felt the whistle occurred after the play and an erroneous whistle is not reviewable. 

Pool report from #LVvsCIN: pic.twitter.com/8VyhfKxTCm

— NFL Officiating (@NFLOfficiating) January 16, 2022

Schefter says the NFL grades its officiating crews after each game and Boger’s crew is not expected to receive high marks for their performance on Saturday, which included other gaffes. 

Officials that do well in the wildcard round can put themselves in the mix to work the championship games and the Super Bowl, though those are typically staffed by crews that worked the divisional round.