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TEMPE, Arizona – Arizona Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury had never seen an official’s flag hit a punt in the air until Sunday in Jacksonville. If the play had turned out differently, however, Kingsbury would have wanted this official to be immediately reprimanded.
The game in question took place early in the first quarter of Arizona’s 31-19 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Jacksonville kicker Logan Cooke threw a punt for 51 yards with 13:38 left in the first. As the ball descended towards Cardinals returner Rondale Moore, ground judge Dyrol Prioleau threw a flag for a penalty during play. However, the flag struck the ball in the air and redirected it away from Moore, who missed it. Arizona recovered it to retain possession, but had the Jaguars recovered, Kingsbury would have requested the replacement for Prioleau.
“It seems pretty unfair that we lose the ball if this referee touches it,” Kingsbury said. “I think the referee should probably be ejected at that point.”
Kingsbury was unaware the ball was redirected by the flag during the game, and Moore, a rookie, didn’t say anything to his head coach either.
“He’s tough on himself and I don’t even know if he knew what happened,” Kingsbury said. “But, it looked a bit like a twilight zone. Like, he had it and then all of a sudden he didn’t have it.
“And, so, I didn’t know that had happened, but you would think that maybe we could adjust this rule.”
Kingsbury has been asked if he will bring the game to the league.
“Considering this is probably the first time this has happened in league history, I’m not sure if they will really do this when proposing owners meeting rules,” he said. “But I would totally agree.”
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