Questionable Ruling on Baker Catch Spoils the Jets’ Comeback Attempt
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CLEVELAND — The catch — or was it one? — was incredible. The ruling was incredulous.
A potential one-handed tying touchdown grab by Jets tight end Chris Baker in the final minute was called out of bounds, giving the Cleveland Browns a 20–13 win over the Jets yesterday.
Trailing 20–13, the Jets (4–4) stopped the Browns (2–5) on three straight running plays and got the ball back on a punt with 1:56 left. Chad Pennington, who had an otherwise atrocious day, then moved his club to the Browns 24-yard line with 1:06 left before throwing an incompletion and having a pass tipped.
On fourth-and-4, Pennington dropped back and ducked underneath a blitz from safety Sean Jones before lofting a pass to the near right corner for Baker. The 6-foot-3-inch, 258-pound Baker leaped and hauled in Pennington’s pass with one hand as he soared through the air.
But before he could get either of his feet down, Baker was drilled from the side by defensive back Brodney Pool, who sent Baker sprawling out of bounds. Baker held the ball and the officials did not immediately make a call. They huddled for several seconds before referee Mike Carey said Baker could not have made the catch in bounds.
Because it was a judgment call, the play is not reviewable under the NFL’s instant replay system.
For several minutes, the Jets stormed around the sideline looking for an explanation as Cleveland fans hugged in relief after seeing the Browns finally come out on the winning side of a strange finish.
Cleveland’s Reuben Droughns rushed for a season-high 125 yards, Charlie Frye threw a touchdown pass to Kellen Winslow and a new coordinator, Jeff Davidson, got Cleveland’s stagnant offense going long enough for the Browns’ first home win this season.
Against one of the NFL’s most obliging defenses, the Browns built their largest lead of the season, then withstood a 99-yard kickoff return by New York’s Justin Miller and held off the Jets.
Frye finished 15-of-22 for 141 yards and threw one interception. Pennington was just 11-of-28 for 108 yards for the Jets, who had only 193 yards of total offense, and was picked off twice by Jones.