BALTIMORE -- After a critical 27-22 loss to the rival Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, many of the Baltimore Ravens questioned calls made by the referees -- notably an overturned touchdown reception by Isaiah Likely in the fourth quarter -- that could cost them a chance at the postseason.
The referees initially ruled Likely scored on a 13-yard pass from quarterback Lamar Jackson -- which would have given the Ravens a one-point lead with 2:43 remaining -- despite the tight end losing the ball in the end zone. Ravens coach John Harbaugh enthusiastically lifted his hands, and Jackson celebrated by clapping his teammates' hands.
But less than a minute later, referee Alex Moore announced that it was an incompletion. Likely had the ball punched out by Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. before he made the necessary third step in the end zone.
"I thought it was a touchdown, but the refs made the call they wanted," Jackson said. "They believed that was right. So, you got to go with it. I can't do the ref's job. It is what it is."
On the play, Likely leapt to make the catch. He got his right foot down and then his left. Just before his right foot touched the ground again -- which would constitute a third step -- Likely had the ball dislodged.
In a pool report, NFL vice president of instant replay Mark Butterworth explained why overturning the touchdown was correct.
"The control is the first aspect of the catch," he said. "The second aspect is two feet or a body part in bounds, which he did have. Then, the third step is an act common to the game and before he could get the third foot down, the ball was ripped out. Therefore, it was an incomplete pass."
In the locker room, several Ravens -- including running back Derrick Henry, left tackle Ronnie Stanley and wide receiver Rashod Bateman -- said they believed it was a touchdown.
But Likely wouldn't say whether he thought it was.
"They made a call," Likely said, "and we have to live with what the referees say at the end of the day."
Porter said it was up to the refs to decide if it was a touchdown or not.
"I'm just happy they picked no touchdown," he said.
Harbaugh had more of an issue with an earlier overturned call. With 6:26 left and Baltimore trailing 27-22, it was originally ruled that Ravens linebacker Teddye Buchanan intercepted a batted pass at the Pittsburgh 32 after battling with Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
But it was changed to a catch by Rodgers.
"The offensive player had control of the ball, and as he was going to the ground, there was a hand in there, but he never lost control of the ball and then his knees hit the ground in control," Butterworth said in the pool report. "So therefore, by rule, he is down by contact with control of the ball."
Asked if this is still a reception even though it looked like Buchanan and Rodgers had mutual possession, Butterworth said, "The offense had initial control of the ball and ended up being down by contact."
After the interception was overturned, Harbaugh put both hands on his head and shouted from the sideline, "That's wrong."
He continued to argue the call after the game.
"When you're making a catch, you have to survive the ground. He didn't survive the ground," Harbaugh said. "He's not down by contact; he was catching the ball on the way down with another person, so you have to make a catch there and survive the ground. I don't know why it was ruled the way it was on that one."
With the loss, the Ravens (6-7) fell one game behind the Steelers (7-6) for first place in the AFC North with four weeks remaining. Baltimore's playoff chances plummeted to 31%, according to ESPN Analytics.
Jackson said his frustration level is "through the roof."
"I feel like [with] the Thanksgiving game [against the Bengals], we shouldn't have lost that game. It was turnovers, unfortunately," Jackson said. "But this one here, I don't know what happened."
