CFL: Upon further review, Week 1 ruled fumble for video replay crews

It didn’t take long for instant replay to again become a hot-button topic in the CFL.

In the league’s opening two regularseason games, questionable calls following review took centre stage in two closely-contested encounters. On Thursday, the Montreal Alouettes nipped the Saskatchewan Roughriders 17-16 before the Calgary Stampeders and Ottawa Redblacks battled to a 31-31 tie in a Grey Cup rematch on Friday.

Saskatchewan tied its game 7-7 on Kevin Glenn’s 19-yard touchdown pass to Bakari Grant. Grant lost possession of the ball on the play, with television replays showing he’d fumbled before scoring.

As per league rules, the CFL’s command centre reviewed the play but surprisingly upheld the call.

Montreal secured the narrow victory after Saskatchewan kicker Tyler Crapigna missed a 45-yard field goal on the game’s final play.

On Friday night, Calgary got the benefit of two replay calls.

The Stampeders tied the score 11-11 when Bo Levi Mitchell hit Kamar Jorden on a nine-yard TD strike. Jorden lost the ball on the play, with Ottawa’s Khalil Bass recovering it and returning it for an apparent Ottawa touchdown.

The on-field officials originally ruled Jorden had scored, a call that was supported by the command centre.

Jorden was a focal point again in the fourth when he fumbled before being downed on a completion. Ottawa challenged, but again the call was upheld.

Four plays later Jerome Messam’s three-yard TD run made it 28-28.

Ottawa linebacker Taylor Reed took to social media to voice his displeasure.

“Please @CFL what we gotta do to fix this. I just need clarity!” Reed tweeted.

Glen Johnson, CFL senior vicepresident of football operations, didn’t immediately return a message seeking comment Monday.

Last season, the CFL admitted its officials made two mistakes on a key play in Edmonton’s 24-21 East Divi- sion semifinal win against Hamilton. With the game tied 21-21, Ticats quarterback Zach Collaros completed a pass before being hit by Eskimos defensive end Odell Willis.

A holding penalty against Hamilton tackle Brandon Revenberg negated the 17-yard gain but the Ticats challenged Willis’s hit, looking for a roughing-the-passer call. Upon review, the challenge was denied, but Johnson said later not only should Revenberg not have been flagged but replay official Jeff Harbin should’ve upheld the Ticats’ challenge.