LANDOVER, Md.: The Browns were haunted by their three second-half turnovers in a 31-20 loss to Washington on Sunday at FedExField, but they believe a phantom fumble recovery occurred.
With the Browns trailing 24-20 and facing second-and-2 at the 50-yard line, running back Duke Johnson rushed 5 yards and fumbled. Johnson said he thought he recovered the ball, but line judge Sarah Thomas ruled that inside linebacker Will Compton recovered it at Washington’s 43 with 9:32 left in the fourth quarter.
As Thomas looked in a pile of bodies, Johnson stood nearby holding the ball in the air.
“I had the ball and I was under the assumption we were going Browns ball,” Johnson said. “They [the officials] had a conversation among themselves and made the call.
“At the end of the day, I cannot put the team in that situation.”
Asked if there was any way Washington recovered the ball before he ended up holding it, Johnson said, “Is there any way? Not to my knowledge.”
Browns coach Hue Jackson said Thomas told him replay official Al Hynes reviewed the play.
“Oh, it’s frustration, but when the official tells you it’s already been reviewed and it’s their ball, there’s nothing I can do,” Jackson said. “I can yell and scream and do whatever, but it’s not going to change the call.”
An NFL spokesman replied to an email from the Beacon Journal seeking comment about whether the officiating crew erred.
“The on-field ruling was a fumble, recovered by Washington,” the spokesman said. “It was confirmed as a fumble in instant replay without the need to stop the game. As to the recovery, several different angles were looked at, but with nothing definitive shown, there was no need to stop the game because the on-field ruling that awarded possession to Washington would have stood.”
Several Browns players thought Johnson recovered the fumble.
“I kind of looked away getting ready to see what the next play was and then looked back and I saw a bunch of a guys jumping on the ball, and then within half a second Duke stood up and held it up with his hand,” quarterback Cody Kessler said. “And I think the ref was still trying to find out where the ball was, and Duke was yelling at me, ‘It’s right here, hey, I’ve got it right here.’ And unfortunately the call didn’t go our way.”
Left tackle Joe Thomas related the explanation Sarah Thomas gave players on the field.
“She came in, in the huddle and said, ‘I saw the Redskins defense with the ball on the ground,’ meaning the play was over and then the ball switched hands after that,” Joe Thomas said. “I guess that’s one of those things where they go with whatever was called on the field.”
Wide receiver Terrelle Pryor was visibly upset about the call on the sideline and declined to speak to media after the game.
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Browns blog at www.ohio.com/browns. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/NateUlrichABJ