Bengals Score Controversial Touchdown After Erroneous Whistle Goes Off

The first game of the NFL postseason came with some controversy.

With two minutes left in the first half, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow raced toward the sideline before lofting a pass to wide receiver Tyler Boyd in the end zone. Before the ball reached Boyd, an official’s whistle went off.

Joe Cool with touchdown No. 2 for #RuleTheJungle. 😎#LVvsCIN on NBC and @peacockTV. pic.twitter.com/GrI5fjSuN3
— #SuperWildCard Weekend on NBC (@SNFonNBC) January 15, 2022

According to NFL rules, the play should have immediately been ruled dead and the down should have been replayed.

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Continued:

"(3) If the ball is a loose ball resulting from a legal forward pass, a free kick, a fair-catch kick, or a scrimmage kick, the ball is returned to the previous spot, and the down is replayed."
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 15, 2022

The NFL isn't commenting on the #Bengals' controversial touchdown, deferring to NBC's rules expert Terry McAulay, who noted the call can't be fixed in replay.

Said McAulay: "They can't have a touchdown on that play, by rule."

A huge mistake by Jerome Boger's crew.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 15, 2022

The play put the Las Vegas Raiders down 20-6, but they scored a touchdown with 13 seconds left in the half to make it a seven-point game.