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Redskins: Studs and duds from the team’s Preseason Week 2 loss to the Bengals

By Jacob Camenker

LANDOVER, MD - AUGUST 15: Dwayne Haskins #7 of the Washington Redskins scrambles against the Cincinnati Bengals during the first half of a preseason game at FedExField on August 15, 2019 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MD - AUGUST 15: Dwayne Haskins #7 of the Washington Redskins scrambles against the Cincinnati Bengals during the first half of a preseason game at FedExField on August 15, 2019 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /
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EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – DECEMBER 16: Field judge Tom Hill #97 (L) and referee Shawn Hochuli #83 review a New York Giants punt in which they challenged during the first half against the Tennessee Titans at MetLife Stadium on December 16, 2018 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images)
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – DECEMBER 16: Field judge Tom Hill #97 (L) and referee Shawn Hochuli #83 review a New York Giants punt in which they challenged during the first half against the Tennessee Titans at MetLife Stadium on December 16, 2018 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images) /

Dud: The Officials

I don’t usually complain too much about officiating. And it is the preseason, so they are getting their act together. But my goodness, the officiating in this contest was bad.

There were a number of poor calls throughout this game. As mentioned early, Josh Norman was called for a bogus helmet-to-helmet hit. And that came one play after Jonathan Allen was called for a ticky-tack personal foul call.

That isn’t where the issues ended though. On a play where Dwayne Haskins was sacked, it appeared that he threw the ball forward as he was being sacked. That was ruled a fumble on the field and the officials chose not to overturn it. It was a close call, so this one was somewhat forgivable. But still, many felt it was a forward pass.

Washington Commanders
Washington Commanders /

Washington Commanders

But late in the game, the zebras made one of the worst calls I’ve seen in the history of professional sports. They called Kelvin Harmon for offensive pass interference on a play in which he fought back for an underthrown ball and was run into by a defender who had his back turned.

It was the clearest defensive pass interference you’ll ever see. And it was called on Harmon.

And if that wasn’t bad enough, they called another offensive pass interference on Harmon late in the game after he made another amazing catch. This one was more forgivable, Joe Theisman said he could “sort of live with it” but the lack of standards they have on judgment calls and reviews is, frankly, remarkable.

I could go on about this officiating debacle, but the fact is that it’s the preseason. So, the calls didn’t matter tonight.

Rest assured, if the officiating tonight is as bad as it was in this contest in the Redskins’ Week 1 game against the Philadelphia Eagles, there will be plenty of complaints from the ‘Skins faithful.

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