Reactions: Official's spot questioned on Samaje Perine's third-and-1 run late in Super Bowl
On what turned out to be the second-to-last play of Super Bowl 56 for the Bengals' offense, quarterback Joe Burrow handed off to running back Samaje Perine, whose third-and-1 carry near midfield was ruled short of a first down, per officials.
Some Bengals fans wondered why the team didn't call on star rusher Joe Mixon in that situation. Others wondered – via Twitter – why Perine wasn't given a more favorable spot via forward progress, and perhaps why it wasn't reviewed.
Social media reactions:
Wow - I’m rewatching final drive.
1. The Bengals got a brutal spot on 3rd down. They were damn close to the 1st down.
2. How does Perine not dive for a catch on 4th? pic.twitter.com/z58zQF5CMc— Jeff Gold (@JeffGold81) February 14, 2022
I do think the spot on the 3rd & short Perine carry needs to be addressed.
Should have been 4th & Inches, not 4th & a long 1. Maybe the game ends differently, maybe not. 🤷🏽♂️— Landon Holifield ✭ (@TheLandoShow) February 14, 2022
On the 3rd and 1 Perine is stopped literally a football length short of the 1st. They didn't give him that spot
— Cincinnati Kidz (@CincinnatiKidz) February 14, 2022
Two things: 1-I definitely think Perine was much closer than the spot.
2-You're choosing to trust the Bengals' pass protection with the season at stake? Yeah?— Glenn Clark (@GlennClarkRadio) February 14, 2022
Felt like that was a terrible spot for Perine.
— Josh Pearson (@WhatStartsHere) February 14, 2022
What an awful spot on that 3rd down. Refs couldn’t have made that any more obvious. Perine also doing his best Cam Newton impression #SuperBowl
— Ben V (@Dawkins_020) February 14, 2022
The spot of the ball on the 3rd down run by Perine- immediately proor to the 4th down incompletion- was off by a legit 2’…just so funny
— Les Kelly (@ChasingKensho) February 14, 2022
Don’t know why they didn’t at least try to challenge the spot after Perine run.
— Jesse Grubb (@TherealJ_Grubb) February 14, 2022
Considering that upon review, perine probably would have had the 1st down or a 4th and 1 inch was upcoming, why didn't Taylor fight harder to review the spot? He called a TO! The whole thing seemed very rushed pic.twitter.com/JH3hwMMWiM
— Jay Urban (@JayUrban11) February 14, 2022
that spot was almost a full yard behind where the ball was with perine’s forward progress. really bad. even worse they didn’t review it. wowzers.
— fantasy deep thoughts (@FFdeepthoughts) February 14, 2022
It’s academic now, but Perine got a terrible spot. Should have been just a few inches from the marker, not close to a full yard. Might have changed that play call.
— Noah Frank (@NoahAFrank) February 14, 2022
One play later, Burrow's desperation attempt on fourth-and-1 as he was being brought down by the Rams' Aaron Donald fell incomplete near Perine.
Moments earlier, some questioned a defensive-holding penalty against the Bengals' Logan Wilson that kept the Rams' final scoring drive alive.
Perine scored the Bengals' first touchdown of the AFC title game as they rallied from a 21-3 deficit to beat the Chiefs in Kansas City.
LOVE SPORTS? [ Subscribe now for unlimited access to Cincinnati.com ]
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Official's spot questioned Samaje Perine's third-and-1 Super Bowl run
