National Football League

NFL admits mistake on penalty call in Texans-Chargers game

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 2:02 a.m. ET

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Too little, too late?

The NFL said on Tuesday that referees working the Monday night game between the Texans and Chargers incorrectly called a unnecessary roughness penalty on San Diegoâs Cam Thomas.

Thomas had made contact with Texans long-snapper Jon Weeks during a field attempt in the second half. The kick was good, but the penalty gave Houston a first down at the San Diego 9-yard line. The Texans would punch it in for a touchdown to cut the Chargers lead to 28-21.

In case you forgot, the Texans completed the comeback and won 31-28.

"No, this was not a correct call. This is not the intent of the rule as it was written," Dean Blandino, the leagueâs vice president of officiating, said on NFL Network.

"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."

While itâs very nice that the NFL did come out and admit this, it probably means nothing to Chargers Nation. After all, the Texans picked up an extra four points thanks to this ref blunder . . . points which would have come in very handy at the end of the game, when Houston kicked the game-winning field goal as time expired.

It was an eventful first week for Blandino, who also had to deal with controversial calls from the Packers-49ers game, which our own Mike Pereira detailed.