The Pittsburgh Steelers walked out of Week 14 with the victory over the Baltimore Ravens, in full control of their playoff destiny and the AFC North, perhaps with help from some controversial officiating.
One of the most debated calls in Sunday’s matchup, the unnecessary roughness penalty on Ravens NT Travis Jones, completely shifted the momentum of the game in Pittsburgh’s favor — and the NFL admitted to Baltimore’s head coach John Harbaugh that they made a mistake.
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“And the Travis Jones call, [the NFL] told me and they told me I had permission to state this, that it was the wrong call,” Harbaugh told reporters on Monday. “It should not have been called.”
With around six minutes remaining in the second quarter, the Steelers attempted and made a 32-yard field goal, but Jones was flagged for unnecessary roughness, specifically for a hit on a defenseless LS Christian Kuntz, giving Pittsburgh new life on the drive. The Steelers would capitalize off the penalty and score a touchdown the very next play.
In a close five-point win over Baltimore, that very penalty — as well as the overturned Isaiah Likely touchdown and Aaron Rodgers’ catch — had many demanding answers from the league, as one could argue that Pittsburgh wouldn’t have walked out of Week 14 with the win if the calls went the other way.
Still, you’ll hear no complaints from Steelers fans — myself included — as attention shifts towards Pittsburgh’s Week 15 Monday Night Football matchup against the Miami Dolphins.
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This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers vs. Ravens: NFL admits to game-changing officiating mistake