The Super Bowl LVII pairing is on the line during the NFL’s championship Sunday.
With two matchups of elite teams, every play could decide which team advances. Everything counts — every call, every non-call, every decision, every replay and every yard.
To that end, let’s review the major decisions — and non-decisions — made by referees John Hussey (NFC) and Ron Torbert (AFC). We’ll take a look at the circumstances and the rules involved, and we’ll provide some analysis as well.
Did Brett Kern‘s punt hit the SkyCam wire?
49ers-Eagles NFC Championship Game, 00:15 remaining in the first quarter
What happened: Eagles punter Brett Kern hit an uncharacteristically short punt, a 34-yarder from the Eagles’ 26-yard line to the 49ers’ 40. Immediately, Kern and others on the Eagles sideline began signaling that the ball hit the wire that holds Fox’s SkyCam in place over the field.
How it was resolved: According to NFL rules, if the ball hits a foreign object on the field — including a wire or a scoreboard — the down is replayed from the original line of scrimmage and the game clock is restored. In this case, the Eagles would have gotten a chance to get off a better punt from their 26-yard line.
The in-stadium replay official can initiate a challenge in such an instance, without a coach needing to throw his red flag. But Hussey announced that it could not be confirmed that the ball hit the wire.
Analysis: Reversing any eligible on-field decision requires clear and obvious evidence. In this case, that would mean a view that showed the ball hitting the wire. If one existed, we didn’t see it on the broadcast.
Some suggested on social media that the NFL should check to see if the SkyCam video feed was shaking as a result of the ball hitting the wire. But it would have been difficult to consider that clear and obvious, given the possibility of another explanation — such as wind — for a shaky video feed.
Should replay officials have reviewed DeVonta Smith‘s catch on fourth-and-3?
49ers-Eagles NFC Championship Game, 10:28 remaining in the first quarter
What happened: Eagles receiver DeVonta Smith was credited with a leaping 29-yard catch along the left sideline on fourth-and-3 to the 49ers’ 6-yard line, extending their opening possession of the game. Smith jumped up quickly after the play, apparently signaling the Eagles to hurry to the line of scrimmage for the next play.
How it was resolved: The Eagles were ready to run the next play quickly and got the snap off 28 seconds after the previous snap. That made the play irreversible even if replays later showed evidence of a drop.
Analysis: Fox showed a replay several minutes later that clearly showed the ball hitting the ground before Smith had fully secured it via the NFL’s catch rule. 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan never challenged it, likely because his coaches and advisers in the booth didn’t see the definitive replay in time. But there was another way the call could have been rectified.
The NFL instituted a new rule at the start of the 2021 season, alternately known as the “replay assist” or “expedited review” rule, that allows either an on-site replay official or a member of the league office in New York to make a quick reversal when there is immediate, clear and obvious evidence that one is necessary. To make the process more efficient, the NFL imported Hawk-Eye replay technology that pulls in all replays instantaneously rather than waiting for the broadcast network to put them on air.
The process has been met with rave reviews and has helped in shortening the average length of games over the past two seasons. But for reasons that were not immediately clear, it was not employed in this case.
Needed 3, got 29 🤯@DeVontaSmith_6 | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/SFd2Tb0p3N
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) January 29, 2023
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