Coaches got their way in March, campaigning for expanded replay to include pass interference. Now, some are regretting that decision.
The Vikings had a touchdown nullified by offensive pass interference penalty Al Riveron saw on an automatic review of the scoring play.
Vikings coach Mike Zimmer still wasn’t happy Monday with what he referred to as a “bad call.”
“They decided they were going to fix the play in the [NFC] Championship Game, and there’s been some unintended consequences,” Zimmer said, via Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune.
The Vikings scored on a 3-yard pass from Kirk Cousins to Stefon Diggs that would have cut the Packers’ lead to 21-14 with an extra point. But the NFL’s supervisor of officials overturned it, citing Dalvin Cook for offensive pass interference. The Vikings ended up settling for a field goal and lost 21-16.
“We saw clear and obvious visual evidence that No. 33 significantly hinders the opponent while the ball is still in the air,” Riveron said in a pool report.
Zimmer disagreed with Riveron’s assessment.
“I think it was a bad call,” Zimmer said, via Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press. “Got replayed, and I still think it was a bad call. The guy was not trying to block anybody. He was trying to get out of the way.’’
Zimmer added that officials need to be more diligent in how they’re calling offensive pass interference.