Dungy, Harrison: No-call on pass interference cost Falcons game

NBC analysts Rodney Harrison and Tony Dungy saw what everyone else saw (minus game officials, apparently): Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman grabbed the right arm of Julio Jones, preventing him from attempting to catch the ball, and didn't get penalized.

"That’s a pass interference right there," Harrison said on "Football Night in America" as multiple replays of the play were shown. "That is so easy to call. The official is sitting there, he is looking at it. There’s no reason why he should not throw a flag."

A penalty would have resulted in a first down for the Falcons at about Seattle's 35-yard line, in range for a potential game-winning field goal with 1:30 to play and one timeout. Instead, the Seahawks took over on downs and ran out the clock on their 26-24 victory .

Even Sherman reacted to the play as if he expected to draw a flag: He landed on the turf and immediately turned to look at one official. Incredibly, there was no call. Afterwards, Sherman laughably claimed he didn't interfere with Jones.

NBC studio host Dan Patrick asked Harrison and Dungy: "What do you make of that non-call?"

Harrison: "I was very disappointed in that non-call, Dan. Because you are Atlanta, you get on the plane, you go all the way out to Seattle, you play your heart out and you’ve got a perfect opportunity (to win) and Richard Sherman, he pulls Julio Jones down, Coach (Dungy). It should be called."

Dungy suggested that officials were wary to make a call in such an important situation.

"The problem is in the first quarter, the second quarter, third quarter it would be called," Dungy said. "Now it’s critical, fourth-and-10, last play of the game (and) the official doesn’t want to determine the outcome but he did by not throwing the flag."

Added Harrison: "These officials need to be held more accountable because that cost Atlanta the game."

Patrick suggested that if the Seahawks knew officials wouldn't make the call then it was a good strategy for Sherman to grab Jones.

"Then why have them out there if you are afraid to make a call?" Harrison responded. "That’s crazy."

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