Mike Vrabel Calls Out Inconsistent Officiating After Titans-Saints

Mike Vrabel and the Tennessee Titans had a game-changing officiating decision go against them in their Week 1 game with the New Orleans Saints at Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Sunday afternoon.

Midway through the second quarter, Titans outside linebacker Arden Key came off the edge and hit the football out of the throwing hand of Saints quarterback Derek Carr. Titans safety Kevin Byard picked up the bouncing ball at the Tennessee 5-yard line and took it the length of the field for what would have been a touchdown.

However, officials ruled the play an incomplete pass and whistled the play dead instead of letting it play out and re-watching it on video replay, which is what the league has instructed referees to do.

(See the play here.)

Gene Steratore, a longtime NFL referee and current rules official for CBS Sports, said the play should have been ruled a fumble rather than an incomplete pass. Because the fact the play was whistled dead on the field, it was overturned.

Titans head coach Mike Vrabel was asked about the play after Tennessee's 16-15 loss to the Saints. He expressed frustration and called out inconsistencies in officiating.

"Next week, that's going to be a fumble and then the next week, it's going to be an incomplete pass, and the next week it's going to be a fumble," Vrabel told reporters after the loss, per the team. "So if you're asking me whether we should let replay sort it out, I would tell you that we should let replay sort it out.

"Proud of the way Kevin (Byard) didn't flinch and went and got the ball, and the way we tried to affect the quarterback, and it just didn't go our way. They called it incomplete and once it goes to replay, they need clear and obvious evidence that it wasn't a pass."

The Saints kicked a field goal on the next play. It tied the game 6-6 with 7:37 left in the first half. The Titans would have had a 13-3 advantage should the ruling have went the other way.

"Again, I could sit here and debate it," Vrabel said. "What needs to happen is that we all understand the call on the field is critical, and after that, you need clear and obvious evidence to overrule the call on the field. So good play there by the defense, but just didn't get there quick enough. That wasn't the reason that we lost today."

Vrabel and the Titans will host the Los Angeles Chargers in a matchup between AFC playoff hopefuls. Justin Herbert and company are a 3-point road favorite entering the Week 2 contest.