It looked as if tight end T.J. Hockenson had made an unbelievable touchdown catch on Sunday afternoon at U.S. Bank Stadium to pull the Vikings even closer as they tried to complete a comeback against the Philadelphia Eagles.
As the celebration spilled over onto the sideline, however, it was announced the play was under review. That ultimately resulted in the call on the field being overturned as it was determined that Hockenson did not complete the process of the catch. The decision was ultimately made by the NFL from its replay center in New York.
Asked about the play after the game, Hockenson was visibly upset, revealing that multiple refs came up to him afterward and told him they had it as a catch.
“I don’t understand how New York can call in and be like, ‘That’s not a catch,’” Hockenson said. “There was no evidence that it wasn’t. I think it’s ridiculous. Especially when every ref came up to me after and said, ‘We had that as a catch.’”
In a pool report, the NFL’s vice president of instant replay Mark Butterworth said it was determined that Hockenson lost control of the ball, which resulted in the call on the field being overturned.
“The ball hit the ground,” Butterworth said. “Then he regained control of the ball.”
That wasn’t how Hockenson saw it as he watched the replay on the big screen.
“There was nothing to overturn it,” Hockenson said. “I was out there. I felt it. My hands were under the ball.”
As the process was unfolding, head coach Kevin O’Connell said he was not privy to the conversations going on between the NFL from its replay center in New York and referee Bill Vinovich on the field.
“I did not get any clarity,” O’Connell said. “The main update that I got was incomplete pass.”
Meanwhile, veteran quarterback Carson Wentz lauded Hockenson for his effort, noting that he didn’t get a good look at the replay that was being shown on the big screen.
“All I know is I can throw a better ball,” Wentz said. said. “I can make it a little easier on him.”
Though it wasn’t technically the difference for the Vikings in a 28-22 loss to the Eagles, it certainly could’ve made for a different game script in the final minutes.
“It is what it is,” Hockenson said. “We’ve got to move on.”
On further review
Kevin O’Connell said Sunday was waiting to hear an explanation for a holding call on center Blake Brandel that negated a touchdown pass and forced the Vikings to settle for a field goal in their 28-22 loss to the Eagles.
The Vikings were going for it on fourth-and-1 late in the second quarter when Brandel got defensive lineman Moro Ojomo to the ground before Carson Wentz threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Jalen Nailor. Brandel was called for holding, making it fourth-and-11 and forcing Minnesota to settle for Will Reichard’s 34-yard field goal to make it 14-6.
Afterward, Brandel’s review of the call could be lip-read on TV, and he didn’t agree with it. After the game, however, he relented.
“I’ve just gotta better,” he said. “Can’t do that. It cost the team.”
It appeared on replay that Brandel had hold of Ojom’s jersey under his right pad, but O’Connell said he wasn’t entirely convinced.
“It’s a normal technique,” the coach said. “It’s called the trap, when you knock a guy’s hands down.”
Brandel acknowledged he didn’t initially think he had held Ojomo, saying, “Maybe not in the moment, but I see what the refs see in that. It is what it is. I see what they saw.”
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