Texans benefit from iffy goal-line fumble call vs. Pats

The call on the field was that Damien Harris fumbled, but should it have been deemed a touchdown? Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Watch: Texans benefit from controversial goal-line fumble call against Patriots

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports
By Steve DelVecchio | Last updated 10/10/21

The Houston Texans were on the right end of an overturned call early in their game against the New England Patriots on Sunday, and many fans were left wondering if the officials had access to a camera angle that wasn’t shown on the television broadcast.

Damien Harris rushed for what was initially called a touchdown that would have tied the game in the second quarter. Harris lost control of the ball as he plunged into the end zone, but the call on the field was that he had possession when he broke the plane. You can see a few replay angles below:

Damien Harris with another redzone fumble… will Belichick bench him forever?pic.twitter.com/TUwvODv4Y3 https://t.co/TUwvODv4Y3

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) October 10, 2021

Harris definitely lost possession somewhere around the goal line, but it looked like the call could have gone either way. Officials typically stick with the call on the field in a situation like that, but they felt they had enough to overturn it. The Texans recovered the ball in the end zone and were awarded a touchback.

There are sometimes replay angles in the New York league offices that aren’t shown on TV, so it’s possible there was a definitive view. Still, the result was a surprise.

Harris, of course, is the same player who had an extremely costly fumble for the Patriots earlier in the year.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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