PLEASE NOTE: The opinions, analysis and/or speculation expressed on BaltimoreRavens.com represent those of individual authors, and unless quoted or clearly labeled as such, do not represent the opinions or policies of the Baltimore Ravens' organization, front office staff, coaches and executives. Authors' views are formulated independently from any inside knowledge and/or conversations with Ravens officials, including the coaches and scouts, unless otherwise noted.
In response to reports surrounding Billy Cundiff’s missed game-tying field goal in the Ravens’ 23-20 loss to the New England Patriots, Head Coach John Harbaugh issued a statement.
“We knew what the down and distance were on our last series,” Harbaugh said. “The scoreboard was not a factor for us. Any suggestion that the wrong down information was a deliberate effort to affect the outcome of the game is nonsense.”
On the Ravens’ final drive of the game, there was a discrepancy between officials and the Gillette Stadium scoreboard as to the down and distance.
The scoreboard indicated it was third down when it was actually fourth.
Cundiff appeared late getting on the field before attempting the 32-yarder, which he missed wide left.
The scoreboard confusion on the series started after a first-down pass to wide receiver Anquan Boldin. As he was getting tackled, Boldin fumbled the ball forward and out of bounds ahead of the first-down marker.
The officials correctly spotted the ball short of the first-down marker, making it second down.
On the next play, the Ravens ran a pass play to Lee Evans in the end zone, which fell incomplete to make it third down. But the scoreboard read second down.
Baltimore then ran a pass play to tight end Dennis Pitta, which also was incomplete, and then attempted the field goal on fourth down.
