Late in regulation on Sunday in Oakland, the Browns could have iced the game, or come close to it, if running back Carlos Hyde had converted a rushing attempt on third and two. It initially appeared that he did. After further review, he didn’t.
NFL senior V.P. of officiating Al Riveron explained to PFT the decision to overturn the ruling on the field during halftime of the Ravens-Steelers game.
It was actually a simple process. From one angle, Riveron could see that, when Hyde’s wrist was done, his elbow also was down. From another angle, Riveron could see that, when Hyde’s wrist was down (and thus the elbow was done), the ball was well short of the line to gain.
“The angles definitely gave me a view and perspective that he was short,” Riveron said.
Riverson said that, when the wrist/elbow were down, he could see that the ball clearly was short of the orange stick and the pad on which it rests. So that’s why the ruling on the field was overturned, why the Browns didn’t get a first down that would have likely ended the game, and why the Raiders had an opportunity to force overtime.