If the earlier games of these NFL playoffs have been any indication, the Vikings and Giants were bound to find themselves in a wild matchup. And it didn’t take long to have our first controversial moment at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday.
After the Vikings scored a touchdown on their opening drive, the Giants responded with two straight touchdowns to take the lead. But let’s be honest: Isaiah Hodgins’ first-quarter touchdown had assist from the officiating crew.
The play simply never should have been allowed to happen.
Just ahead of the snap, Giants left tackle Andrew Thomas jumped early, which should have been called for a false start penalty.
Refs miss false start on the Giants and it leads to a touchdown! #NYGvsMIN pic.twitter.com/vhJEpQQkAC
— Rate the Refs App (@Rate_the_Refs) January 15, 2023
Though Mike Pereira would later claim on the Fox broadcast that it was a close call, it really didn’t seem all that close. Za’Darius Smith even stopped playing because he just assumed the officials would throw the flag for the false start.
But no flag was thrown, and the Giants cashed in with the touchdown on that same play.
Fans were justifiably perplexed by the no call.
This was how Twitter reacted
Officials missed a false start on Andrew Thomas on the TD. Za'Darius Smith stopped like he expected a flag.
— Ben Goessling (@BenGoessling) January 15, 2023
Giants with a blatant false start that’s completely missed on a TD pass for Daniel Jones #NYGvsMIN pic.twitter.com/G8Ej04bnl6
— Bad Sports Refs (@BadSportsRefs) January 15, 2023
Clear false start by Andrew Thomas before Hodgins' touchdown. pic.twitter.com/WDI0jeiWsB
— Brenden Deeg (@BrendenDeeg_) January 15, 2023
No false start on that TD?
— Kent Somers (@kentsomers) January 15, 2023
I cannot believe they didn't stop that play. That was as egregious a false start as you can get.
— Rob Pizzola (@robpizzola) January 15, 2023
Blatant false start
— Paul Lambert (@MeatSauce1) January 15, 2023
Both announcers: pretty clear false start there, no?
Mike Pereira: I thought it was too close to call
Greg Olsen: I rescind my opinion then.
Really glad we have a rules analyst to protect the announcers from making such dangerous, obviously correct, statements.
— Sam Monson (@PFF_Sam) January 15, 2023
expedited review from the booth when we get a first down
let a false start slide on a TD
this what we gonna do today 🦓?
— Shahbaz Khan (@ShahbazMKhan) January 15, 2023
Where's the false start? Who's off to a more rough start, the refs or the #Vikings defense?
— Aj Mansour (@AjKFAN) January 15, 2023
There’s really no excuse to miss that call.
