Ertz was not stopped short. The head ref spotted the ball two yards back. Replay showed a first down by Washington on a 4th down play with over a minute to go around mid-field with a great chance to get in range for the game winning field goal. The spot was reviewed, not by New York, but by the same ref who spotted the ball incorrectly. He confirmed that his incorrect call was going to stand, and thus he gave the game, the win to Pittsburgh. This is nothing new in the NFL. I have seen 4 wins given Super Bowl teams at the end of games, when in fact, with the correct call by the refs, the other team won. George Allen, head coach of the Redskins, told us in 1971 that his team had to beat the other team and the refs. It has been true ever since.
Ertz was not stopped short. The head ref spotted the ball two yards back. Replay showed a first down by Washington on a 4th down play with over a minute to go around mid-field with a great chance to get in range for the game winning field goal. The spot was reviewed, not by New York, but by the same ref who spotted the ball incorrectly. He confirmed that his incorrect call was going to stand, and thus he gave the game, the win to Pittsburgh. This is nothing new in the NFL. I have seen 4 wins given Super Bowl teams at the end of games, when in fact, with the correct call by the refs, the other team won. George Allen, head coach of the Redskins, told us in 1971 that his team had to beat the other team and the refs. It has been true ever since.