How The Titans' London Game Looks If We Turn The Ravens' Fined Plays Into Penalties

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Seven fines for infractions came out of the Week Six Ravens-Titans game in London.

Six of those fines were against five Baltimore players, and four of the violations were not called by referee Bill Vinovich and his crew during the game.

I went back and looked at each play to see how a call rather than a non-call would have altered things as they unfolded.

Second quarter

Second-and-10 TEN 30 (4:52) 

(Shotgun) L.Jackson pass short left to Z.Flowers to TEN 26 for 4 yards (T.Avery, J.Gibbens).
PENALTY on TEN-J.Simmons, Unnecessary Roughness, 13 yards, enforced at TEN 26

Result: First-and-10 TEN 13

FINES: Simmons, unnecessary roughness, $11,473
Odell Beckham, unnecessary roughness, $11,473

The play: Simmons turned to chase down receiver Zay Flowers who was already surrounded by two Titans’ tacklers and it 

looked as if the Ravens thought he was going for Flowers’ knee and took offense. Beckham kicked Simmons while he was on the ground, which went unflagged, and Simmons reacted with a shove in front of officials that got called.

What should have happened: Had both fouls been seen, the two calls would have offset. But they came after the play so the offsetting fouls make it second-and-6 from the TEN 26. The Titans would have gotten 13 yards back.

Second-and-7 TEN 10 (3:36) 

(Shotgun) L.Jackson pass short left to Z.Flowers for 10 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

FINE: Ronnie Stanley, unnecessary roughness, $16, 391

The play: After his initial block, Stanley floats left and looks to protect Lamar Jackson and he moves the same direction. Stanley spots Simmons coming, lines him up, lowers his left shoulder and delivers a high blow to Simmons’ chin area.

What should have happened: Had the penalty been called, the touchdown would have been disallowed. The Ravens would have lost 15 yards and faced first-and-25 from the TEN 28. The Ravens also gained 10 yards they shouldn’t have.

Third quarter

Third-and 1 BAL 38 (4:43) 

(Shotgun) R.Tannehill pass deep right intended for C.Okonkwo INTERCEPTED by G.Stone at BLT 20. G.Stone to BLT 44 for 24 yards (T.Spears). BLT-M.Williams was injured during the play. His return is Questionable.

FINE: Justin Madubuike, unnecessary roughness, $16,391

The play: As Geno Stone weaved 24 yards with an interception return, Madubuike ran from near the line of scrimmage to find DeAndre Hopkins and crash his left shoulder into an unsuspecting Hopkins’ right shoulder/head.

What should have happened: Instead of first-and-10 at the Baltimore 44, the Ravens would have started the drive first-and-10 at the BAL 25. The Ravens got 15 yards they shouldn’t have.

Fourth quarter

First-and-10 BAL 10 

(8:55) (Shotgun) L.Jackson pass short left to Z.Flowers to BLT 18 for 8 yards (J.Gibbens).

FINE: Beckham, unnecessary roughness, $21,844

The play: Flowers is in the slot left, with Beckham outside him. Flowers motions behind Beckham and turns to face the QB, backpedaling while awaiting and then catching a pass. Right as the ball arrives, two Titans DBs are charging, Amani Hooker inside and Kristin Fulton outside. Beckham lowers his head and sort of hits Hooker in the head. If think it’s the iffiest of all these calls. Flowers gained 8 yards.

What should have happened: First-and-15 from the Baltimore 5. The Ravens got 8 yards on the play plus five on the penalty they shouldn’t have. But this type of foul is rarely flagged, just handled as a fine.

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Four of the six plays by the Ravens that resulted in fines but not penalties would have washed away a touchdown and given the Titans an additional 48 yards, by addition or subtraction, while taking away 18 yards in Ravens gains and a touchdown. So what Vinovich and his crew saw came up well short of what New York saw when reviewing the game. 

The Ravens finished the game with nine penalties for 88 yards. Add the fined penalties that weren’t flagged and it would have been 13 for 123.

Maybe we leave out the second Beckham penalty, the hit to the head of Hooker, as those calls are being dealt with by fine and not flag -- and that would make it 33 adjusted penalty yards and 12 for 108 for the Ravens.

I expect there to be some missed calls in a game. I don't think there should be three or four missed ones of the 15-yard variety.