EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The Patriots appeared to catch a big break on Sunday against the Jets, as a fourth-quarter call overturned a New York touchdown and swung the momentum back in New England’s favor.
With just over eight minutes left in the ballgame and the Patriots holding a 24-14 lead, New York quarterback Josh McCown found tight end Austin Sefarian-Jenkins for a pass that initially looked like it would go as a four-yard touchdown, and close the gap against New England. But the officials ruled cornerback Malcolm Butler knocked the ball loose from Seferian-Jenkins just before he crossed over the goal line. Initially announced as a touchdown, the call was overturned.
When a player loses control of the football and fumbles through the end zone, the play is ruled a touchback and the ball is awarded to the other team. That’s what happened in this case, despite the protestations of the New York sideline, and the Patriots got the ball at their own 20-yard line. Even though New England couldn’t answer with a score of its own, the Patriots were able to bleed more than two minutes off the clock. And the points that came off the board proved to be costly for the Jets, who ended up on the short end of a 24-17 score.
“I reached in there and took a chance on the ball. I saw the ball juggle,” Butler said after the game. “I told the referee that the ball came loose as he was going over (the goal line). The ref said it was going to be reviewed, and it turned out right. We got the ball and that’s all that matters.”
“That was an interesting play,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. “When Malcolm came off the field, the first thing he told me was, 'The ball was out.'
“(Butler) did a great job of getting his hand in,” added Belichick. “He has a knack for that. He’s done that before. He has good ball awareness and does a good job of slapping at the ball and has good strength and has gotten the ball out before. It was a tremendous play — great, great awareness. It saved us seven points.”
Here's an explanation of what happened from Fox Sports analysts Mike Pereira and Dean Blandino.
Former VPs of NFL officiating @MikePereira & @DeanBlandino think that the Jets late TD against the Patriots should have stood as called. pic.twitter.com/aDP6IIGXvg
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) October 15, 2017