Looked like a judgement call to me. I didn’t care about either team but those last 4 flags made it the worst game in FB history.
Most calls are judgement calls, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be made. Had the same play occurred in the first quarter, the same penalty would have been called, and nobody would be questioning it. It was an easy call, and I commend the official for getting it right.
I don’t want to see non-calls in the last minute of games; I want to see correct calls. That applies at every other point in the game as well. This was a correct call.
It isn’t a judgment call. The rule is very direct, player is established as out of bounds (ie foot hit the paint) is not to be hit.
And let’s keep in mind no calls have just as much effect as calls. Remember the Rams Saint NFC Championship where the Rams didn’t get called on a flagrant pass interference? And the Rams won the game to go get beat by the Pats in the SB.
If they hadn’t called the late hit, and Bengals won people would be yelling it was fixed. Much like they did after the Rams win. It was a late hit. The flag had to happen.