It was the most blatant of helmet-to-helmet hits. Browns lineman Jordan Elliott rocked Chris Boswell while he was rolling to his right during Pittsburgh’s ill-fated fake field goal attempt, knocking the kicker out of the game.
But to Jim Nantz and Tony Romo, there was nothing to see. CBS’ top team failed to mention Elliott’s shot on Boswell, and didn’t even bother bringing in rules analyst Gene Steratore for additional insight. The veteran official was forced to release his breakdown on Twitter.
During a replay, Nantz did say to “look at the hit on Boswell.” Romo offered an “mhm,” and that was it. We know NFL broadcasters are required to play clean up for the league and laud the billionaires in the owners’ boxes during each telecast. But are they mandated to whitewash horrible officiating, too?
The total lack of objectivity kills credibility. Not too long ago, Romo was considered the best sport analyst on TV. The ex-quarterback’s penchant for predicting play even earned him a moniker: “Romostradumus.”
But now, Romo is more schtick than substance. His foresight has been replaced with wasted words, such as when he said he doesn’t like holding calls being levied against the Steelers when they score.
Filled with spastic energy, Romo talked incessantly during Steelers-Browns, and didn’t offer the pieces of unique insight for which he became famous. When Baker Mayfield missed a pass in the second half, he afforded the QB with the ol’ “sun was in my eyes” excuse.
Interestingly enough, Romo lamented a couple of non-calls when Mayfield and Ben Roethlisberger got hit, even though they were routine plays. In the first half, Romo commented that Browns tackle Malik McDowell put some “extra force” into falling on Roethlisberger. The lineman did nothing of the sort, appearing to fall on his own head to avoid putting his full mass on Big Ben.
Then late in the fourth quarter, Romo wailed about Alex Highsmith’s “wicked shot” on Mayfield. The play resulted in a soft roughing the passer penalty.
It didn’t even compare to the hit that Boswell took. As Steratore tweeted, a defender “cannot hit the passer forcibly in the head or neck area.”
It would’ve been nice to hear that opinion on the broadcast. But Romo would’ve had to stop babbling, first.
The odds of that happening are about as high as Romo regaining his old mojo.