Bill Belichick grabs referee after close Ravens field goal fuels ire over replacement officials

Updated at 2:01 p.m. ET

(CBS/AP) Replacement officials are getting to Bill Belichick, too.

The New England Patriots coach grabbed the arm of an official as they were leaving the field Sunday night after rookie Justin Tucker's last-second field goal barely sneaked inside the right upright, giving Baltimore a 31-30 victory.

(Watch the kick and Belichick's response above)

Belichick said he doesn't expect to be fined for making contact with the official, although that usually is NFL policy.

"I'm not going to comment about that. You saw the game," Belichick said in his postgame news conference. "What did we have, 30 penalties called in that game?"

Actually, it was 10 for 83 yards, fewer than the Ravens' 14 for 135 yards.

"It's our job to go out there and control what we can control," Belichick added. "That's what we're going to try to work on. Talk to the officials about the way they called the game. Talk to the league about the way they called it. I don't know. But we just have to go out there and try to play the best we can."

The kick was close, but replays clearly showed it was good.

Belichick wasn't the only coach Sunday to chase after an official. On Monday, an NFL spokesman told CBSSports.com that the league would review an incident involving Washington Redskins offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan.

Shanahan was caught on camera chasing a referee into a tunnel after the Redskins' 38-31 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday. The son of head coach Mike Shanahan was hit with a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that was added to a 5-yard false start penalty near the end of the game, pushing Washington 20 yards back in a Hail Mary situation.

Shanahan reportedly "had some choice words" for the referee. On Monday, the younger Shanahan issued a written statement saying he acted "in the wrong way" when he was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct and promised that such conduct "will never happen again."

Week 3 produced suspect calls during several games, even as the league and the locked out officials' union met.

Two people familiar with the talks told the Associated Press the sides held negotiations Sunday. It was uncertain whether progress was made in an attempt to reach a new collective bargaining agreement, or when further negotiations would take place.

The NFL locked out the officials in June after their contract expired. The league has been using replacement officials, and through three weeks of the regular season there has been much criticism over the way some games are being handled.

Particularly on Sunday.

Replacement officials admitted making two mistakes in Minnesota's victory over San Francisco, while a few other games included questionable calls that could have affected the outcomes.

Referee Ken Roan said he twice granted 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh video challenges after Harbaugh called timeout in the fourth quarter. Neither challenge should have been allowed once Harbaugh asked for time.

"What I told him was, 'Well you challenged it not knowing what the result of the play was going to be,"' Roan said. "So I granted him the challenge and we went and looked at it. That was wrong. I should not have."

Both mistakes happened in the span of six plays in Minnesota's 24-13 upset of the 49ers.

"My interpretation of it was that he could do that based upon the time factors and not knowing it was a challengeable play to begin with when he called timeout," Roan said. "If you don't have a timeout to lose, you can't make a challenge."

Earlier Sunday, the NFL players' union sent an open letter to team owners calling for an end to the lockout.

In the Lions-Titans and Bengals-Redskins games, officials marched off too much yardage on penalties.

Lions linebacker Stephen Tulloch's helmet-to-helmet hit on Craig Stevens wound up as a 27-yard penalty in Tennessee's 44-41 overtime win. In OT, from the Titans 44, Jake Locker passed to Stevens over the middle for a 24-yard gain and Tulloch was flagged for the hit. Fourteen yards were added to the end of the play, which then was reviewed and overturned because the ball hit the ground.

However, the penalty still is enforced. Instead of 15 yards, officials marked it off from the Detroit 44 — the wrong spot.

"As soon as the play was declared incomplete it becomes a first down and it becomes 15 yards from the play before," Lions coach Jim Schwartz said.

The Redskins were penalized 20 yards instead of 15 for unsportsmanlike conduct in the final seconds of their 38-31 loss.

Robert Griffin III spiked the ball to stop the clock with 7 seconds left. Then tight end Fred Davis was called for a 5-yard false start penalty.

According to Washington coach Mike Shanahan, at least one official indicated there would be a 10-second runoff, ending the game — and the Bengals, led by coach Marvin Lewis, started walking onto the field. There shouldn't have been a runoff, though, because the clock had been stopped by the spike. The Redskins began arguing, and eventually the unsportsmanlike conduct penalty was called.

The officials never announced specifically who the call was against, just that the penalty would be added to the false start, a total of 20 yards. But they walked off 25 yards — the official game play-by-play said 20 yards were enforced for the unsportsmanlike conduct.

That left the Redskins with a third-and-50.

"They threw the flag at us, and there was half of the (Bengals) team on the field," Shanahan said. "I was disappointed in that."

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[unclebernies]

These replacement officials have already put the 2012 NFL season in ruins. I can count four or five games already that were screwed up so bad it changed the outcome of those games. The NFL and Goodell are pathetic.

[Scimajor]

"Truth be told, it would appear the broadcast network announcers are "fueling the ire over replacement officials" more than anything, because it's good for RATINGS!"

Yup, watching people act like school yard bullies and spoiled brats IS probably good for ratings. I think you've nailed it.

[davidd5063]

I've watched the NFL for years now, and personally find the replacements to be about as good as the regulars at making the calls, just not in controlling the coaches and players during the game. I thought the display of flags at the beginning of the 2nd half last night, and the unsportsmanlike on the Baltimore bench was a good start - just would have been better if it came in the 1st Qtr. People seem to forget that the regular NFL officials miss a LOT of calls and cause a LOT of greif as well - they do control the game better, but the replacements can get better at that. NBC's announcers last night couldn't be made happy - first the officials need to get the game under control - then they're throwing too many flags - and quit the whining about the "missed" calls - it's NOT NEW!

[davidd5063]

Truth be told, it would appear the broadcast network announcers are "fueling the ire over replacement officials" more than anything, because it's good for RATINGS!

[MurdochSucks]

I disagree. I think the replacements have been deplorable. They've slowed the game down from the average 3 hours per game to averaging almost 4 hours. They take SO long to make the calls, talk about it, reverse the calls, walk the penalty yardage backwards and then fix it. Reviewing is taking forever, and defenses are getting away with a lot more than they ever have. The NFL needs to bite the bullet and pay the pros what they are worth. Their value has never been more clear.

[thinkaboutit13]

Old Bill forgot that all the sportswriters like to kiss his butt saying what a class act he is. Same refs have been making bad calls all season Bill, your nothin' special...

[IPonUall2]

They should make the ball of steel, and add a motorcycle for each team, along with replacing the grass with concrete, hire only 2 refs...now you have a game.

[IPonUall2]

They should make the ball of steel, and add a motorcycle for each team, along with replacing the grass with concrete, hire only 2 refs...now you have a game.

[1pheasant1]

I tis time fo ther season ticket holders and the networks that broadcast the games to demand a refund from the NFL. This third rate product that they have chosen to put on the field demands a cut rate price. You get what you pay for, Roger.

[keote_poet]

Belichick took charge and represented the growing frustrations for both the fans and the NFL...the personal attacks won't slow down the Patriots. Dont you know already? they thrive on negativity...the Pats will be in the playoffs, and the rest of you will be crying as usual..

[thinkaboutit13]

He took charge of nothing. He lost the composure he's so famous for. He better get his checkbook ready.

[mecury69]

There is no 'ire' from the fans. They are doing the best they can but what is happening is the players and coaches are taking advantage. I've never seen so much grabbing and late hits in my life. And everry players raises his arms up like 'who me?' and arguing (looks more like an NBA game). The coaches are trying to intimidate the refs.

If the players would not force so many calls to be made and the talking heads on radio and TV stop making it a story, they could focus better and do better. I watched a LOT of football this weekend the majority of the calls were legit.

Back off the refs, it's NOT a story.

[1pheasant1]

Inferior products do not get my support.

[billgates0001]

I am so sick and tired of Belichick and Brady on their spoiled brats outbursts.

[audemus]

Exactly...and the so-called "fans of the game" and their asinine comments has grown beyond old.

[keote_poet]

then dont watch...meanwhile, they'll keep on winning.