The New York Jets got robbed by a weird rule that was misapplied.
During their Week 5 game on Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys, the Jets had third-and-goal from the 7-yard line.
Justin Fields threw a short pass to Breece Hall, but the ball didn't get there.
Instead, it hit off of Cowboys defensive end Dante Fowler Jr., and then it hit the Fox Skycam, the camera over the middle of the field.
The officials ruled it an incomplete pass.
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According to Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio, that was the wrong call.
Here's how Florio explained it using the rule book:
From the plain language of the rulebook, the proper outcome of a ball hitting the Skycam is a do-over: "[I]f a loose ball in play strikes a video board, guide wire, sky cam, or any other object, the ball will be dead immediately, and the down will be replayed at the previous spot. In the event the down is replayed, the game clock will be reset to the time remaining when the snap occurred, and the clock will start on the All penalties will be disregarded, except for personal fouls or unsportsmanlike conduct fouls, which will be administered prior to the replaying of the down.”
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Florio adds: "Per the league, there’s no exception for (as in this case) a pass striking a player and then hitting the Skycam."
So the Jets should've gotten to replay that third down.
Replay assist could've also stepped in but didn't.
The Jets ended up kicking a field goal instead of a chance at a touchdown. They certainly could've used it.
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