The NFL said Tuesday that the officials in Monday night’s game between the Houston Texans and San Diego Chargers made an officiating error, marking the third time the league admitted fault with a call in Week 1.
The Texans had a fourth-and-8 in the fourth quarter, trailed 28-14 and had lined up to kick a field goal when Chargers defensive tackle Cam Thomas was called for unnecessary roughness for making contact with Texans long snapper Jon Weeks.
The Texans were awarded a first down after the penalty and scored on the next play cutting San Diego’s lead to 28-21. The Texans went on to win, 31-28.
The call shouldn’t have been made, according to Dean Blandino, the NFL’s vice president of officiating.
“No, this was not a correct call,” Blandino said, via NFL.com. “This is not the intent of the rule as it was written. The rule is to protect the snapper on a field goal or extra point from a direct forcible blow to the head or neck area, or with the crown/forehead/hairline parts of the helmet to the body. It was not designed to prohibit any contact with the snapper, which is what happened on this play.”