NFL Officials Didn't Miss Just One Face Mask But Two On Same Play In Bengals-Ravens: Former Ref, Fans React

Here's another unpleasant surprise for NFL fans upset about NFL officiating in prime time: There wasn't one missed face mask on a pivotal 2-point play in the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens game Thursday night.

There were two.

TWO!

Screen grab of Thursday Night Football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens. 

(Amazon Prime Stream)

And both went uncalled. Both were missed.

Not only did Nnamdi Madabuike get his hands on Joe Burrow's helmet and pull it to the sides and then down, but on the same play, Baltimore rusher Odafe Oweh got his hands on the face mask of Bengals left tackle Cody Ford and torqued it to the right.

All that as Burrow was throwing his fateful incomplete pass on the potential game-tying and ultimately game-deciding 2-point play.

Neither face mask or hands to the face calls were made. Neither is reviewable per NFL replay rules.

So it's not one black eye the NFL has after this otherwise super entertaining game. It's two.

Obvious face mask and hands to the face penalties that were not called during final seconds of Thursday Night Football between Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens

(Amazon Prime Stream)

OutKick spoke with a retired NFL game official on Friday. He saw the game. And saw replays just like other viewers. 

He also watched it again on NFL+.

"It's hard to watch," he said. "Look, the game moves fast and I'm not making excuses. That's a fact.

"But I'm upset at the notion some people have that calls don't get made in pivotal moments. Speaking for myself, I always told myself, ‘Trust your eyes, regardless of the situation.’ So all this talk about officials swallowing their whistle, so to speak, in big moments was bunk to the crews I worked on.

"I have to believe if