The Philadelphia Eagles opened the new season with a bang after scoring a huge 30-17 victory over their division rival, the Washington Redskins, on Sunday. However, the win did not go unmarred with controversy as some NFL pundits pointed out a botch call by referee Brad Allen in the crucial play of the match.
Fumble or Incomplete Pass?
Philadelphia sealed Sunday’s win on a helter-skelter sequence where Fletcher Cox scooped what was initially believed a fumble by Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins and carried the football all the way to the end zone for a 20-yard return.
However, replays showed Cousins already released the ball off his hands in a forward direction before absorbing a hit from Eagles pass rusher Brandon Graham.
According to NFL rulebook, the “Cousins fumble” should instead be called an Incomplete Pass, giving the Redskins another chance to complete their possession. Unfortunately for the Redskins, Allen’s call stood after NFL senior vice president of officiating Al Riveron upheld it in a replay review. Riveron took over Dean Blandino’s position as NFL’s top overseer last summer. The NFL is in its first season in which the final say of all replays are being decided by the league office in New York.
Fox Sports analyst Mike Pereira, who also served as NFL vice president of officiating, said he would have overturned the call because it’s obvious the ball already moved from Cousins’ hands.
Although he didn’t think overturning the call would change the outcome of the match, Allen’s fumble call took away any chance for the Redskins to win the match.
Carson Wentz off to flying start
The Eagles quarterback covered 307 yards on 26-for-39 with two touchdowns and one interception against the Redskins. Wentz simply outplayed Cousins, who went 23-for-40 with one touchdown and committed that pivotal fumble in the fourth quarter.
Many expect Wentz to have a breakout in his second season after covering 3,782 yards with 16 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in his rookie year.
Ronald Darby Injury Update
NFL Insider Ian Rapoport provided an update on Rondal Darby’s dislocated ankle injury against the Redskins, and it looks optimistic for the Eagles cornerback, at least for now.
According to Rapoport, x-rays were negative on the ankle, but he’s still expected for an MRI to determine the extent of the damage to his ligaments and tendons.
Darby, whom the Eagles acquired in a trade with the Buffalo Bills, was guarding Redskins tight-end Jordan Reed off-ball when slight misstep sent his ankle buckling towards the ground. Before the injury happened, Darby made things miserable for Cousins in the early going as he was able to read most of his passes. Cousins went 2-for-8 for 46 yards with no touchdowns when Darby was on the field. The Redskins QB added 70 yards and one touchdown after the injury.
