NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Titans interim coach Mike Mularkey says the NFL called how referee Jeff Triplette’s crew handled a late fourth down in Tennessee’s 24-21 loss to Oakland a “poorly officiated play.”
Mularkey said Monday officials missed both a false start by Raiders receiver Michael Crabtree and offensive pass interference in the end zone by receiver Andre Holmes on the two Titans defenders breaking up the pass. Instead, Titans cornerback B.W. Webb was flagged for holding on the other side of the field, and Oakland scored the winning touchdown two plays later.
“So I vented my frustration about that, and they said if you guys have any questions on that, call them, because they said it was a poorly officiated play,” Mularkey said. “It should never have even started, the play never should’ve started.”
Titans cornerback Perrish Cox immediately started pointing when Crabtree bobbed his head, usually a dead ball foul that would have pushed Oakland back to fourth-and-13 at the Tennessee 41.
Mularkey, now 1-3 as interim coach, said he asked league officials what he could tell the media minutes later, and was told to refer questions to the league. But the NFL declined to comment to The Associated Press, saying by email the league does not comment on conversations between the officiating department and teams.