Former NFL Ref Explains Why No Call On Browns’ Intentional Grounding Was Correct

steelers browns groundingThe Cleveland Browns’ final possession Thursday night was full of referee intervention, but none of the calls quite broke the Pittsburgh Steelers’ way. The most notable penalty, and one that likely would have won the game for the Steelers, was the lack of an intentional grounding penalty on third down. It would have made it fourth and very long and out of feasible field goal range.

To make matters worse, there was a penalty flag thrown, but it was for an ineligible receiver touching the ball first before it hit the ground. Mike Tomlin controversially accepted that illegal-touching penalty to give the Browns another third-down attempt from only five yards back. It was…