The Browns got away with illegal fake spike before game-winning field goal vs. Panthers

The Browns finally won on Week 1 thanks to a little help from the refs.

The Carolina Panthers vs. Cleveland Browns matchup in Week 1 to start the 2022 NFL season was built up as Baker Mayfield’s revenge game. The Browns ditched Mayfield, their former No. 1 overall draft pick, over the offseason to install Deshaun Watson as their new quarterback, and after months of speculation, he finally landed in Carolina. Neither Mayfield or Jacoby Brissett, the suspended Watson’s replacement in Cleveland, did much of anything in the game, but the fourth quarter still had plenty of drama, including the refs botching a critical call late.

The Browns defeated the Panthers, 26-24, on a monstrous 58-yard field goal by rookie kicker Cade York in the final seconds of the game. The Browns’ unbelievable streak of 17 straight losses in Week 1 is finally over, but in reality they should be thanking their lucky stars that York was ever allowed to try the go-ahead kick.

With the Browns driving in the final seconds of the fourth quarter, Brissett hit Amari Cooper for a nine-yard gain to move the ball to Carolina’s 40 yard line. Cleveland rushed the line of scrimmage, and Brissett spiked the ball to stop the clock after the completion — but not before he appeared to fake the spike and look at his receiver for a potential throw downfield.

Watch the play here via @GIFDSports:

The clock stopped and York booted the game-winning field goal on the next play. There’s only one problem: a QB isn’t allowed to hesitate before spiking the ball. He has to do it immediately. The refs should have called intentional grounding, with a 10-yard loss, and a 10-second runoff on the clock.

Here’s the rule from the rulebook:

Panthers players and coaches were critical of the refs for missing the call after the game. Here’s what head coach Matt Rhule said after the game:

“I started screaming, ‘Intentional grounding, 10-second runoff, game’s about to be over.’ They obviously called it and then changed it, and it was told to me that — I’m going to get in trouble here, but — it was told to me he just pump-faked it,” Rhule said.

Referee Brad Rogers explained the call after the game, and said the refs got it right:

That wasn’t the only bad call that went against Carolina late. Defensive end Brian Burns was also called for roughing, which felt like a major stretch.

The refs defended that one, too.

The Browns finally won on Week 1 for the first time since 2004. They just needed to get rid of Mayfield and get a little help from the refs to do it.