Here’s how refs almost screwed Washington on final drive vs Bucs

Our attention is nearly fully-turned to Week 11, but we have one last storyline to discuss from the Washington Football Team’s pulse-pounding upset over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at FedEx Field this past Sunday.

The only reason we feel a need to discuss it? Well, that’s easy. It got swept under the rug because Washington pulled out the win!

We’re referencing a particular play on Washington’s 19-play, 10:26 drive, the longest in the NFL this season until the 49ers ripped an 18-play, 11-minute drive on their opening possession vs the Rams on Monday night.

Remember Terry McLaurin’s grown man reception on third down that moved the chains in the red zone? Almost everybody watching was stunned he held on because he took a monster hit from a rogue defensive back.

Even after watching different-angled replays, the consensus reaction was “Yup, this kid is special for making THAT catch in THAT situation.”

However, did nobody notice that McLaurin very much qualified as a defenseless receiver and there was nary a flag to be found?

How did the Bucs not get flagged for this hit on Terry McLaurin?

We’re not trying to speak down on anyone. We were completely oblivious to the violent nature of this hit in real time and after the fact. Maybe not so much oblivious as distracted by the catch itself and that Washington still had work to do before they could ice the game. Regardless, this was an egregious no-call.

By the letter of the law, this qualifies as a penalty. We won’t go as far as to tab it a dirty hit. The Buccaneers DB led with his shoulder. It was very much a bang-bang play, which are the toughest for zebras to judge.

With that being said, McLaurin is a defenseless receiver coming across the middle of the field to make a play on the ball. Furthermore, the hit came dangerously close to the head and neck area. Has the NFL not imposed a crack down on those type of hits? This kind of play has been penalized countless times in recent years.

So why wasn’t it called here? Because the game was on the line? Because a flag would’ve put Washington in pole position to ice the game? That’s a bunch of nonsense. If a clear-as-day penalty presents itself, it should be called, regardless of the stakes or how much time is left on the game clock. Period.

Luckily for Washington, it didn’t come back to bite them, but this is just your latest piece of evidence that NFL officiating has never been worse. We’re just surprised this blunder didn’t come in the form of a ticky-tack roughing the passer call.

Expecting change at this point would be delusional, but the NFL should really be ashamed of itself. How many times do big hits on defenseless receivers result in said players having to leave games strapped to a cart?

Thankfully, McLaurin walked away unscathed.