MORE QUESTIONS, NOT ENOUGH ANSWERS

So, who was to blame, the game officials or talking heads in the Fox booth for totally confusing viewers during Sunday’s Eagles-Commanders matchup? 

 For sure the Foxies, Chris Myers and Mark Schlereth, took a snooze when first, they failed to note who was the Washington lineman (Chris Paul) who strayed too far downfield, thereby negating another completion by Sam Howell and leading to a next-snap interception that made the go-ahead touchdown possible in a 38-31 win by the Eagles. 

 Then, they apparently missed a monster infraction by your Commanders at the end of the INT return, giving the Eagles goal-to-go from the Washington eight.

 Finally, Myers gave viewers oh, by the way information that someone committed a personal foul. He didn’t identify the culprit because he didn’t know or his crack network crew didn’t bother to find out. If that wasn’t bad enough … Jalen Hurts threw eight yards to veteran – and recent Philadelphia hire – Julio Jones in the end zone, which immediately led to talk about going for a two-point conversion. 

Why? Myers said, “There was a personal foul [after the play].” Yes, we did see a Washington defender run into Jones after the catch, but where was the flag? Details, always details. Schlereth called for “a quarterback sneak” 

So when they lined up for one extra point, he and Myers quickly moved along without missing a beat or admitting their mistake. Which led to another oh, by the way: “They picked up the flag. That’s why they kicked the ball,” Myers said. 

 At that point, we would have switched to Commanders radio … as we used to do when Sonny Jurgensen and Sam Huff were supplying the wisdom and Frank Herzog kept them from going off the rails – at least he tried – on Redskins radio. Unfortunately, that no longer is a viable option … having listened to the Commanders trio earlier in the day.

 Sorry, I missed the names, but it was just as well. The play by play guy was OK, the pair on commentary was not … not even close. Not that Schlereth, who talks incessantly, didn’t make us long for Jurgensen and the late Huff even more. 

The former offensive lineman told us he was sure the Eagles, leading by seven points, would get behind “that great offensive line” and run, run then run some more to close the game out. No sooner were the words gone from his mouth than Philadelphia threw three passes and was forced to punt. 

With little more than two minutes remaining, the Fox tandem really became confused – and thereby inflicted even more pain on us --after a pass from Howell to Jahan Dotson, ostensibly for a first down at the Commanders 31.

 Hold on. Did he really catch the ball? Did it hit the ground? The clock shows 2:05, and there’s a delay allowing Myers and Schlereth to babble on without bothering to tell us what was going on. Finally, they apparently are alerted that the Eagles have challenged the catch … and that leads Myers to say the league is really checking it because they are in the game’s final two minutes and, by rule, and that is what the league does. 

 Wrong! Double wrong … as it turned out. By the time the whole thing is sorted out … 2:18 remained, and we are told Washington coach Ron Rivera threw the red flag. Oh, did anyone bother to mention the ruling on the field was incomplete … no catch? 

 Meanwhile, we saw replay after replay of Dotson and the ball, and everyone agreed no one could possibly know for sure whether he made the catch or not. “I don’t think you can tell if it hit the ground,” Myers said. 

 Enter Dean Blandino, NFL-on-Fox rules expert, who agrees with Myers but, when they finally know the call made on the field, says, ”To me … they ruled it incomplete … and that has got to stand.” It was easily the biggest call of the game. Had the unidentified official not made a mistake and ruled complete the Commanders had a first down, trailing 31-24. The way Howell was carving up the Philadelphia secondary … (39 of 52, 397 yards, 4 touchdowns, 1 INT) ... 

 Instead it was fourth-and-10, and Eagles’ linebacker Hasaam Riddick was credited with his first sack when Howell fumbled the ball … and the visitors proceeded to build their lead to 14 with 1:50 to go. 

With no timeouts, Howell needed only 49 seconds to bring the Commanders back to within seven, completing four of four passes including a diving grab by Jamison Crowder in the end zone. The ensuing onside kick was recovered by the Eagles after Myers noted only one of 15 had worked in the league this year. 

 HOW CAN THE NHL, which has had an Official Betting Partner (PointsBet) since February 2021, suspend a player for placing a quid or two (or more) on just about anything other than his own team? Or, for that matter, the NFL which welcomed FanDuel, DraftKings and Caesars Entertainment as official betting partners? 

 Nevertheless, hockey’s Shane Pinto, 22, a free agent who hadn’t played this season, was sentenced to 41 games (half a season). Get this: NHL rules say you can bet on anything other than league games … and it found no evidence Pinto had violated that. However, he was found guilty of “a connection with a third bettor.” 

 The NFL has had 10 players suspended since April ... with more likely to come. To think it wasn’t that long ago that commish Roger Goodell told the world they would never get in bed with gamblers … well, not until betting became legalized in most states … and they found lots and lots of money under the mattress. 

 WHAT ARE THE ODDS the Virginia State Sports Hall of Fame will finally acknowledge Hal Nunnally belongs and make the former Randolph-Macon College basketball coach a member of its Class of 2024? The honors committee meets Sunday (Nov. 5), with the announcement who’s in coming shortly after Thanksgiving. At least that’s the plan. 

 HAS Steve Sarkasian decided he doesn’t want or need most-wanted Arch Manning after all? The Texas coach chose redshirt freshman Maalik Murphy to replace the injured Quinn Evers, leaving frosh QB Manning a candidate for the transfer portal where he can go to the next highest bidder. 

 FINALLY … They tell me the World Series is under way. Anybody know who’s playing? Or care? 

 Until next time ...