The NFL has acknowledged a critical officiating error that directly impacted the Ravens-Steelers showdown - and potentially the AFC North standings. Late in the game, Baltimore defensive tackle Travis Jones was flagged for unnecessary roughness on a pivotal fourth-quarter play.
The penalty gave the Steelers a fresh set of downs, and they capitalized with a touchdown that widened their lead. The problem?
Replay showed the call shouldn’t have been made in the first place.
Jones was penalized for making contact with Pittsburgh long snapper Christian Kuntz in what officials believed was the head or neck area - a protected zone for a defenseless player. But the tape tells a different story. Jones clearly initiates contact with Kuntz’s shoulder, not his head or neck, which under league rules is not a foul.
After reviewing the play, the NFL reached out to Ravens head coach John Harbaugh and admitted the call was incorrect.
Head referee Alex Moore explained the decision postgame, saying, “The snapper by rule is a defenseless player, so the contact would be unnecessary. Basically, he ran him over.”
Moore added, “You cannot make any forcible contact to that player. The calling official felt like the contact rose to the level of being unnecessary against a defenseless player.”
But Harbaugh wasn’t buying it - and he had every reason to be furious. On the field, he was visibly livid, pointing out that there was no contact to the head or neck, and that Jones’s hit was within the legal bounds of the play.
Instead of forcing a field goal attempt, the Ravens defense had to stay on the field, and the Steelers punched in a touchdown to go up 17-3. That swing changed the entire complexion of the game.
And that wasn’t the only controversial call that left Baltimore scratching its head.
Harbaugh also revealed the league spoke with him about a would-be touchdown catch by tight end Isaiah Likely that was overturned and ruled incomplete. The conversation, however, didn’t bring much clarity.
“Do I think it needs more clarification? Yeah,” Harbaugh said.
“It’s about as clear as mud right now. That’s how I feel about it.”
In a game this tight, those missed calls weren’t just footnotes - they were turning points. The Steelers ultimately walked away with a 27-22 win, seizing control of the AFC North in the process. For the Ravens, it’s a frustrating reminder that in a league where every inch matters, officiating decisions can swing more than just momentum - they can swing the standings.