:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62402072/1065199240.jpg.0.jpg)
Former NFL official and current CBS Sports analyst Gene Steratore isn’t the only who believes a tripping penalty could (should?) have been called on the Philadelphia Eagles on the final play of Sunday’s 25-22 loss by the New York Giants.
On the last play of the #NYGvsPHI game, Kamu Grugier-Hill should have been penalized for tripping. Tripping, as defined by the NFL, is the use of the leg or foot to obstruct an opponent. Even though the clock had expired, the game would have been extended by an untimed down. pic.twitter.com/cmcmGMa6a9
— Gene Steratore (@GeneSteratore) November 25, 2018
As seen above, Steratore clearly believed “Kamu Grugier Hill should have been penalized for tripping” Odell Beckham Jr. after the Giants star received a lateral.
Giants coach Pat Shurmur didn’t want to directly criticize the officiating. That, after all, would take money out of his pocket. You can easily, though, read between the lines of what he said on Monday regarding the non-call.
“I don’t think you’re allowed to trip (leg whip). I did the math on that though. If that is in fact a penalty, then we would have been kicking with the wind for a 62-yarder with a strong-legged kicker,” Shurmur said.
Just the fact that Shurmur had done the math is telling.
For clarification, tripping is a 10-yard penalty. If a leg whip were called, that would be 15 yards.
A 62-yard field goal attempt by Aldrick Rosas to tie a game at Lincoln Financial Field and potentially send it to overtime would have been dramatic and would have provided tremendous symmetry. After all, the Giants lost a game in Philly last season on a game-ending 61-yard field goal by Jake Elliott. They also lost a game this season a 63-yard game-ending kick by Graham Gano of the Carolina Panthers.
Rosas is now 6-of-7 in his career from beyond 50 yards with a long of 53 yards. He made a 51-yarder on Sunday. Could he have gotten the ball there from 62 yards? We’ll never know.