Referee Adrian Hill Explains Four Controversial Calls After Eagles’ Loss to Broncos: “Everything Was Clear”

PHILADELPHIA – It should be pointed out right from the start that the Denver Broncos were called for 12 penalties totaling 121 yards in their 21-17 win that delivered the Eagles’ first loss of the season.

Compared to the Eagles’ nine penalties for 55 yards, it looks like the Broncos got the worst of it from referee Adrian Hill’s crew. A second look, though, and there were some calls against the Eagles that could be debated.

So, let’s debate, after pool reporter Zach Berman of The Athletic asked Hill four questions about some of the calls or noncalls that didn't go the Eagles' way..

First: The unneccesary roughness flag thrown against Zack Baun after Drew Mukuba tackled R.J. Harvey for no gain on third-and-one with 2:21 left to play in the game and the Eagles down 18-17. Baun came in and hit Harvey when it appeared he was down, though you see that kind of hit all the time.

“The officials saw we had a prone player on the ground, and he came in and hit the player that was prone on the ground when the play was over,” said Hill.

Baun gave his take.

“Short-yardage situation, he was fighting for extra yards, and we’re taught to cap off in those situations,” said the linebacker. “I didn’t think he was down. One ref threw the flag, and it was a subjective penalty, I think.  I thought it could’ve gone either way.”

Instead of forcing a decision to go for it on fourth-and-one or kick the field goal, the penalty moved the Broncos to the 14 with a first down. If Denver kicks the field goal, the Eagles have plenty of time left to make a comeback. Given a break by the officials, Denver was able to use more clock before kicking a field goal with 1:11 to go

Three More Calls Addressed By Adrian King

Second: The grounding penalty that Hill threw a flag on against Bo Nix, but then picked it up after he announced the penalty. The play came on the same drive that allowed the Broncos to eat clock and kick a field goal for a 21-17 lead.

“What happened there, we have an O2O – that’s our official-to-official communication system,” said Hi. “My O2O was not working. Grounding is a teamwork foul. I had intentional grounding. The line judge had that there was a receiver in the area – 28 – but I didn’t hear the information over O2O so I threw the flag. The line judge came in and let me know that 28 indeed was in the area, and that’s why we picked up the flag.”

There was no number 28 on the field at the time and if you look at the throw, there was nobody with a Broncos number anywhere near where the pass landed.

Hill couldn’t get the call right, nor could he get the number right. Fishy.

Third: The illegal shift call on Saquon Barkley taking away what would have been a 30-yard or so completion on third down and put the Eagles at Denver’s 20 late in the game and the Eagles ahead 17-10. This might have been the correct call because it looked like Barkley did not set for the full second.

“Two players went in motion, so, by rule, when two players go in motion, both have to reset for a second before the snap,” said the ref. “One player stopped, but 26 continued in motion, so that’s what created the illegal shift. They didn’t both reset for a full second.”

At least Hill got the number right on this one.

Four: With four seconds left, a throw to Dallas Goedert near the 2, but fell incomplete, but it appeared he had been interfered with. There was no flag.

“Our officials saw mutual hand fighting and hand-to-hand combat and did not see action that rose to the level of a foul on that play,” said Hill.

Goedert gave his take.

“Jalen threw it up to me,” said the tight end. “Obviously, they didn't throw a flag. Have to go back and see it on tape. Would have been interesting to see what happens there."

He added that he wasn’t given an explanation. A completion, and the Eagles are at the 2 with one play left to run, which would have opened the playbook. Instead, they had to throw a Hail Mary from the 29 that fell incomplete.