Tri-staters who stuck around long enough following an hour-long weather delay in the Meadowlands were witnesses to history: the first pass interference call or non-call to be reversed upon replay.
In the third quarter of the Giants' 31-22 victory in the Snoopy Bowl, Jets quarterback Davis Webb launched a pass in the direction of receiver Tim White. Giants cornerback Corey Ballentine grabbed White's left wrist as the receiver attempted to haul in the incomplete pass. No penalty was called.
Jets coach Adam Gase challenged the non-ruling on the field that Ballentine committed defensive pass interference. Upon review, the officials, led by Clete Blakeman, determined the corner did commit DPI and enforced a 33-yard penalty on Big Blue.
NFL senior vice president of officiating Al Riveron offered this ruling on Twitter: "The defender significantly hinders the receiver's opportunity to catch the ball. The ruling on the field is changed because there is clear and obvious visual evidence of defensive pass interference."
This wasn't the first time this preseason that pass interference had been challenged. A call was challenged and upheld in last week's Hall of Fame Game. Other calls were upheld Thursday night after being challenged by Bears coach Matt Nagy and Lions coach Matt Patricia.
The pass interference review rule, instituted for the 2019 season, allows for coaches to challenge a pass interference penalty before the two-minute warning of each half. After that point in each half, pass interference reviews can be initiated by the replay official. The replay official will only stop the game when there is "clear and obvious visual evidence" that a pass interference penalty may or may not have occurred.
