The officials during Sunday night’s Oakland Raiders-Dallas Cowboys game brought out a piece of paper to measure a key first down late in the game, which led to plenty of laughs.
With the game tied at 17 and five minutes left, Dallas had the ball at their 38 in a 4th-and-1 situation. They went for it with a QB sneak. The spot came up right around the first down marker, but it was so close the refs had to bring out the chains to measure. The margin between the nose of the football and first down marker was so close and tough to tell that referee Gene Steratore used a piece of paper to see whether the football extended past the first down marker.
It’s the year 2017 and a piece of paper just determined a First Down in the NFL #DALvsOAK pic.twitter.com/pkipgxsQp8
— Christian Hall (@SpazzLion) December 18, 2017
A piece of paper determining a key call in a game of course led to plenty of great Twitter reactions. Take a look:
The real MVP! pic.twitter.com/w7X2pikvq4
— SB Nation (@SBNation) December 18, 2017
SCOOP: I have an exclusive interview with a family member of the MVP of Cowboys-Raiders. Tune in after the game pic.twitter.com/WEnjTdRY4W
— Rodger Sherman (@rodger_sherman) December 18, 2017
— Danny (@recordsANDradio) December 18, 2017
The referees should have asked Clippy! pic.twitter.com/EwUa5Xzbj9
— SB Nation (@SBNation) December 18, 2017
— SportsDay Cowboys (@dmn_cowboys) December 18, 2017
Another close call decided the game as the officials determined Derek Carr had fumbled the ball going for the pylon on a dive for a touchdown. That play gave the game to Dallas.
