TEMPE, Ariz. — Arizona Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury had never seen an official’s flag hit a punt in midair until Sunday in Jacksonville. Had the play turned out differently, however, Kingsbury would’ve wanted that official to be immediately reprimanded.
The play in question took place early in the first quarter of Arizona’s 31-19 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Jacksonville punter Logan Cooke launched a 51-yard punt with 13:38 left in the first. As the ball descended to Cardinals returner Rondale Moore, field judge Dyrol Prioleau threw a flag for a penalty during the play. However, the flag hit the ball in midair and redirected it away from Moore, who muffed it. Arizona recovered it to retain possession, but if the Jaguars had recovered, Kingsbury would’ve called for Prioleau to be replaced.
“It seems quite unfair that we would lose the ball if that ref happens to hit it,” Kingsbury said. “I think the ref should probably be ejected at that point.”
Kingsbury didn’t know the ball was redirected by the flag during the game, and Moore, a rookie, didn’t mention anything to his head coach, either.
“He’s hard on himself and I don’t know if he even knew what had happened,” Kingsbury said. “But, it looked kind of like a Twilight Zone. Like, he had it and then all of a sudden he didn’t have it.
“And, so, I didn’t know that had occurred, but you would think that maybe we can adjust that rule.”
Kingsbury was asked if he’s going to bring the play up to the league.
“Considering it’s probably the first time it’s ever happened in the history of the league, I don’t know if they’ll really put it up at the owners meeting rules proposals,” he said. “But I would be all for it.”