FOX NFL color commentator Greg Olsen criticized an officiating call against a Carolina Panthers player in the team’s loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
The former NFL star tight end reacted to the sequence late in the second quarter of the Week 15 game.
Greg Olsen is a Fox NFL color commentator and works alongside Joe Davis each week[/caption]
Olsen reacted to an officiating decision during the second quarter of the Carolina Panthers-Dallas Cowboys game[/caption]
Panthers safety Xavier Woods appeared to hit Lamb with his shoulder and not his head but was still called for an unnecessary roughness penalty call[/caption]
Cowboys star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb caught a pass from quarterback Cooper Rush and was drilled by Panthers safety Xavier Woods.
The tackle appeared to be a clean hit on Lamb, but the refs gathered to decide whether the play was worth a penalty.
Olsen shared his opinion on what the tackle looked like.
“In live action, it looked like Woods hit him with his shoulder. Remember, it has to be enforceable contact to the head or neck area. It’s hard in live action to see where the contact is,” Olsen said.
Olsen then added that he believed that the tackle was “clean”, but the refs ended up throwing the flag and handing an unnecessary roughness penalty on Woods, giving Dallas an extra 15 yards on the play and a first down.
It’s safe to say the he former Panthers legend was not pleased with the decision.
“Listen, if we’re going to outlaw this in the NFL then we just have to tell our defensive backs you gotta let ’em just catch it because it’s just not a penalty,” Olsen said.
Play-by-play announcer Joe Davis agreed with his colleague as Olsen added that the hit looked bad in real time but the replay appeared to show that Woods made the proper tackle.
Fortunately for Carolina, the call didn’t cost the team any damage to the scoreboard during the drive.
Dallas’ drive ended with a red zone fumble by Rush.
And on the next play, Panthers quarterback Bryce Young threw an 83-yard touchdown to wide receiver Jalen Coker, making it a Cowboys 10-7 lead that stayed at halftime.
Still, the Cowboys would go on to claim the 30-14 victory.
Rush completed 18 of 29 passes for 214 yards and three touchdowns.
Running back Rico Dowdle recorded over 100 rushing for the third straight game.
The win pushed Dallas to a 6-8 record for the season.
As for the Panthers, they fell to 3-11.
Young turned the ball over four times and was sacked six times.
Cowboys defensive linemen Marist Liufau and Osa Odighizuwa forced fumbles, and Marshawn Kneeland and Chauncey Golston recovered both.
Eric Kendricks and Israel Mukama came away with interceptions of Young.
Dallas will host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 16 while Carolina will play the road team Arizona Cardinals.
Dallas wide receiver Jalen Tolbert celebrates his touchdown with tight end Jake Ferguson and quarterback Cooper Rush during the team’s 30-14 win on Sunday[/caption]
