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Did the Refs Cost Arizona the Game on Victor Cruz’ fumble/non-fumble? (VIDEO)

By ArtieFufkin

Clearly nobody touched Cruz while he was on the ground (Photo: Getty Images via WashingtonPost.com)

This is undoubtedly the most controversial play of Week 4 in the NFL.

From yesterday’s Giants-Cardinals game, with New York trailing by 3 points and driving with 2:46 remaining, Eli Manning hit WR Victor Cruz for a 19-yard completion. At the end of the play, Cruz fell to the ground, put the ball on the grass and stood up to return to the huddle. One problem: Cruz wasn’t touched by a Cardinals defender while he was down, so theoretically, the ball should still be alive. Or that’s at least what most everyone watching the play assumed, and Arizona jumped on the ball, thinking they had secured a crucial turnover.

But not so fast. Referee Jerome Booger had blown the play dead, ruling that Cruz had “given himself up” on the play. Because of that ruling, and despite a challenge flag thrown by Cards coach Ken Whisenhunt, the play was not reviewable.

Watch the play for yourself, and decide if Cruz should have been ruled down:

VIDEO AFTER THE JUMP

On the very next play, Manning hit Hakeem Nicks for the go-ahead score, ultimately winning the game 31-27.

So did the Cardinals get screwed? The NFL issued a statement today, highlighting the applicable rule, Rule 7, Section 2, Article 1(e), states:

“An official shall declare the ball dead and the down ended when a runner is out of bounds, or declares himself down by falling to the ground, or kneeling, and making no effort to advance.”

Based on the wording of the rules, one could argue that the refs got the call right, since Cruz seemingly fell to the ground on his own volition, and gave up the ball in an effort to hurry back to the huddle. In fact, the NFLs VP of Officiating Carl Johnson has chimed in to say that the refs got it right.  

But it’s a pretty fine line for a judgement call like that, and Cardinals fans certainly have a right to feel like they got hosed on a play that ultimately cost their team the game. Especially considering the fact that Cruz himself said he thought he got touched by a defender, so he wasn’t necessarily giving himself up:

“I saw the guy coming and I wanted to get down,” he said. “I thought I was tagged down and I got up and was going to the next play. I thought I was touched so the ref called it down. I felt like I was touched, I thought somebody touched me. I guess in the heat of the moment you probably don’t feel it or you think someone touched you, but I definitely thought I was touched.”

Manning himself thought the Giants got lucky on the call:

“We got a break on that one I think,” he said. “I thought it was going to get ruled a fumble and I saw it pretty clear. I don’t know what the call was or why.”

That seems to be the general consensus, despite the fact that the league is seemingly supporting the call for now. And since former NFL VP of officiating Mike Pereira also thought it should have been ruled a fumble, this is probably one of those situations where the rule will be changed during the next off-season to help clarify (or at least allow such plays to be reviewed).

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