Controversial Isaiah Likely TD call costs Ravens in massive game against Steelers
Nobody in the NFL winds up on the wrong side of more almost-touchdowns than Isaiah Likely.
The Ravens tight end caught what looked like the go-ahead fourth-quarter touchdown Sunday against the Steelers when he stretched for the ball in the end zone and got two feet down before the ball was knocked out of his hands.
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The officials ruled a touchdown but replay review changed the call after determining Likely did not complete the process (no football move) and the pass was incomplete.
Except no fan looking at the play with the naked eye would agree.
“The explanation was that the third foot didn’t get down before the ball came out,” Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said after accepting a 27-22 home loss. “That’s what they said.”
Why is that important?
“The ruling on the field was a touchdown,” NFL vice president of instant replay Mark Butterworth said. “We quickly looked at the play. The receiver controlled the ball in the air, had his right foot down, then his left foot down. The control is the first aspect of the catch. The second aspect is two feet or a body part in bounds, which he did have. Then the third step is an act common to the game and before he could get the third foot down, the ball was ripped out. Therefore, it was an incomplete pass.”
The CBS broadcast booth of Jim Nantz and former quarterback Tony Romo was flabbergasted.
“To me, that seemed like a touchdown,” Romo said. “The two (feet), you’re keeping the ball out. Watch in real-time. Instant replay can show things. Boom!”
“I agree, Tony,” Nantz said. “Looked like a touchdown to me.”
It’s remarkable how often Likely ends up in these situations.
In Week 1 of the 2024 season, Likely appeared to catch the would-be game-tying touchdown on the final play of regulation but the back of his heel was ruled out of bounds for an incompletion as the Ravens lost 27-20.
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Just last week, Likely had another near-touchdown taken off the board by replay because he reached out for the goal line at the 1-yard line and had the ball knocked loose for a fumble through the end zone and a touchback for the Bengals. The Ravens suffered a 32-14 loss.
The loss knocks the struggling Ravens a game behind the Steelers in the AFC North and on the outside looking in on the playoffs
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