By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2020 All Rights Reserved
HOUSTON, TEXAS (March 7, 2020) The Houston Roughnecks “received”
their fifth win of the 2020 XFL season with a 32-23 victory over the Seattle Dragons
at TDECU Stadium on the campus of the University of Houston. The word “received”
is used because even though the game had ended, Houston may not have actually “won”
the game.
With four seconds remaining on the clock, Houston had the ball,
with a nine-point lead. Facing a fourth-and-23 play, quarterback P.J. Walker was
instructed to run out the clock and kill the ball to end the game. Instead of back
peddling in the pocket and throwing the ball out of bounds; he took a knee. Unfortunately,
when he did than, there were still two seconds remaining in the game.
Instead of the clock being stopped, it ran out
and the referees left the field after declaring the game was over. In reality,
the Dragons should have received the ball on the Roughnecks’ 21-yard line, for
a one-play drive. It would have been possible for Seattle to score a touchdown;
and to go for a three-point conversion, which would have tied the game.
The mistake was noticed by on the ABC broadcast
by announcer Steve Levy. “This
is unbelievable. Somebody's gotta go get the officials. Clearly, two seconds
are left in this game!" Unfortunately the game was called as "over" and nothing else could be done.
The XFL
released a statement after the game to apologize for the error. In the statement,
it was indicated that Wes Booker, who was the officiating supervisor for the
game, had been reassigned.
