Everyone’s making a big deal out of nothing, according to NFL vice president of officiating Dean Blandino.
Some Jets fans and New York media members caused a stir following the Patriots’ 27-25 win Thursday night, questioning if an official went too far in helping New England avoid a penalty before what ultimately was a game-saving field goal block. Blandino threw water on the fire Friday, saying in more than one interview that no funny business was involved.
Patriots linebacker Dont’a Hightower briefly lined up over the Jets’ long snapper before the final play of the game. If New York snapped the football while Hightower was in such position, it would have been grounds for a 5-yard penalty. It never got to that point, however, because an official tapped Hightower on his right arm, prompting the linebacker to shift to a legal position.
“We call it preventative officiating,” Blandino said on NFL Network’s “NFL AM” while defending the official’s handling of the play. “Because it’s a player safety rule, we’re trying to avoid a situation before it happens, so the umpires will get in there and move that player out of there. More often, you see it when a player is in a three-point stance and he’s down on the line of scrimmage, you’ll see the umpire tap the player to move him out of that, because we have to be outside the framework of the center.”
Blandino pointed out that Hightower wasn’t so much lining up over the center as he was making a call at the line of scrimmage. And while it’s on the player to understand he must return to his position, the officials, according to Blandino, often will issue warnings to prevent potential injury situations.
Blandino also discussed the situation on “The Dan Patrick Show,” once again using the phrase “preventative officiating.”
