Before getting into this, a moment must be taken to send sympathy to veteran Chicago Bears tight end Zach Miller. He suffered what was likely a season-ending injury against the New Orleans Saints. It involved his leg giving way with a dislocated knee. Please be warned the video to follow is graphic. That said all the officials involved on what followed deserve to get fined or demoted or to simply watch the video over and over. Or all the above.
Everybody likes to pick on the officials because they’re easy targets. Normally I try to be fair in my criticism of them. It’s a thankless job and they’re often good at it. That said the crew down in the Superdome was responsible for the single-worst booth review witnessed in at least five years. Probably longer.
It came with just under six minutes left in the third quarter. Mitch Trubisky had led the team down the field and lofted what appeared to be a gorgeous 25-yard strike to Miller for a touchdown. The only thing better than the throw was the one-handed catch made by the tight end in the end zone.
Then? Things got stupid.
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Chicago Bears injured and insulted all on the same play
Miller crumpled to the ground after the play. The signal was touchdown. Everybody in the stadium including the announcers thought it was a touchdown and were focused on Miller. Then out of nowhere the call comes through that the play had been reviewed and it was overturned into an incomplete pass.
Below is the video from all angles on the play. Kindly point out the moment there is any evidence at all the ball hit the ground.
Please explain to me how this isn't a TD for Zach Miller. Tough way to end your season & possibly your career on bad overturned call. #Bears pic.twitter.com/RHILF45Kso
— Jake Perper (@BearsBacker) October 29, 2017
People can try to pick it apart but there is no getting around facts. According to the NFL rule book that they constantly say is infallible, there must be conclusive evidence that the ball hit the ground. None of the angles showed this. So the Bears were effectively robbed of a critical touchdown. Combined with a missed field goal by Connor Barth and it was a hard game to stomach because they had every chance to win.
Truth be told it’s just the latest in a long line of questionable calls that have cost the Bears at brutal times this year.
