While the Seattle Seahawks are just two days removed from an agonizing overtime loss against the Denver Broncos, there’s a considerable development from their previous defeat to the San Francisco 49ers that just feels like pouring salt on the wounds.
Remember when Jaxon Smith-Njigba took a big hit from 49ers safety Malik Mustapha on Seattle’s final drive of the game? It was 1st and 10 at midfield, two plays before JSN couldn’t come down with a long ball from Sam Darnold. JSN was shaken up after Mustapha’s
hard hit, and no penalty was called for hitting a defenseless receiver.
Well, the NFL has fined Mustapha $6,998 for a “hit on the defenseless player” violation. That is as close as you can get to a public admission that the on-field officials made an incorrect no-call. Had a flag been thrown, Seattle would’ve been at the 49ers 35-yard line and in game-tying field goal range.
Now, this in no way means the Seahawks would’ve forced overtime or won the game, especially not when the Seahawks offense was a sack or turnover waiting to happen all afternoon. But in isolation, missing this call likely would’ve changed how the game ended. It’s a big miss by the referees and there’s no way around it now that the NFL says this should’ve been a penalty.
No one else from this game was fined. Elijah Arroyo could’ve been dinged extra for his personal foul penalty after he punched at Renardo Green at the end of Sam Darnold’s second interception, but closer inspection indicates that Arroyo was clearly trying to punch the ball out simultaneous to Green going to the ground.
