One of the larger plays of the Bengals’ gut-wrenching 18-16 loss, the fraudulent score gave the Steelers a 15-0 lead.
Bryant pinned the ball against his backside in mid-air while tumbling out of the back of the end zone, apparently lacking sufficient control as he landed.
Here’s the official explanation from Dean Blandino, the NFL’s vice president of officiating:
“It should not have been a catch but because it was initially ruled a catch, there wasn’t enough to overturn it via instant replay.”
So the call stood.
No, the game won’t be replayed.
Pacman Jones shows there’s honor among thugs
As he promised if proven wrong, Bengals cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones apologized Friday to Steelers receiver Antonio Brown for accusing him of faking a head injury in Saturday's playoff game at Paul Brown Stadium.
Jones took to Instagram after the Steelers officially ruled Brown out of Sunday’s second-round game in Denver with a concussion incurred at the hands — OK, shoulder — of embattled Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict.
“AB, My apology, my brother,” Jones said. “I’m a man of my word. I apologize, sincerely man. … Get well.”
The 15-yard personal foul penalty on Burfict for blasting Brown into the middle of next week, coupled with another one moments later against Jones for bumping an official, pushed the Steelers into easy range for Chris Boswell, whose 35-yard field goal with 14 seconds remaining gave Pittsburgh the win, crushing Bengals fans around the globe.
Jones thought Brown had done the equivalent of an NBA flop and deserved what he hilariously termed a “Grammy” for his efforts on what became the game’s most important play. He also said Brown winked at him while being helped off the field by teammates and trainers..
The Steelers only wish Brown had been faking because now they head to Denver without their leading receiver (Brown) and leading rusher (DeAngelo Williams). And this after losing top running back Le’Veon Bell earlier in the season, also to a Burfict hit.
Burfict also drove Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger into the turf Saturday on a sack, leaving him with a strained throwing shoulder and ligament damage.
So if the Steelers beat Denver, it will take a minor miracle — thanks to Burfict and the Bengals.
Browns fans vote to see Josh Gordon in uniform again
The hiring of Hue Jackson as head coach has lit a fire under Browns fans.
And now, if a cleveland.com poll is any indication, the fans want receiver Josh Gordon back.
Suspended for the 2015 season by the NFL for failing one too many drug tests (on top of the three he failed at various colleges), Gordon could be reinstated and, if so, might fit wonderfully with Jackson's "find tall receivers and throw them the ball down the field" philosophy.
As of 9 p.m. Friday, 7,451 votes had been cast in the aforementioned poll with 6,174 respondents (82.9 percent) saying they would prefer to keep the troubled wideout.
Thirteen percent want to trade him and four percent said cut him, in which case the Dallas Cowboys immediately would have a contract under his nose, no doubt.
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