The Minnesota Vikings suffered a 28-22 loss to the visiting Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, falling to 3-3 this season.
But had it not been for a crucial overturned call in the fourth quarter, the outcome of Sunday’s Week 7 game could’ve been far different.
On a third-and-2 play with two minutes and 58 seconds remaining in the game, Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson made a diving catch on a 15-yard pass from quarterback Carson Wentz. The play was originally ruled a touchdown, but ultimately overturned upon video review.
Had the call stood, the Vikings would’ve trailed the Eagles 28-26 with all of their timeouts remaining. Instead, they burned more than a minute off the clock before settling for a field goal with one minute and 57 seconds remaining in the contest.
The Vikings’ offense never saw the ball again as Jalen Hurts and the Eagles burned the remainder of the clock.
Hockenson publicly voiced his displeasure with the call during his postgame media availability, seemingly calling on the league to address the inconsistency in how officials determine what is a catch and what isn’t.
“There was nothing to overturn it,” Hockenson said, via ESPN. “I mean, I was out there. I felt it, hands under the ball, snag it and I don’t understand. I don’t basically understand the catch rule at this point. … I don’t understand how New York can call in and just be like, ‘Yeah, that’s not a catch,’ when there was no evidence that it wasn’t. I mean I had it. I think it’s ridiculous.”
The NFL’s vice president of instant replay Mark Butterworth justified the call in a pool report after the game.
“The ruling on the field was a touchdown,” Butterworth said, via ESPN, “so it’s replay’s jurisdiction to stop the game. We used broadcast-enhanced shots to show that as he was going to the ground — he needs control of the ball throughout the process of the catch — he lost control of the ball. The ball hit the ground. Then, he regained control of the ball. So therefore, we overturned it to an incomplete pass.”
Added Hockenson: “It is what it is. Got to move on other plays. … I mean you can’t go one for six [in the red zone] and win a ball game with two turnovers. We had the [opportunity] at the end, obviously. But yeah, tough one.”
The Vikings now have a short week to prepare for a matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday night.
2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.