The Seattle Seahawks beat the New England Patriots 23-20 in overtime in Sunday's Week 2 game at Gillette Stadium, and a questionable pass interference penalty in the extra period helped make that outcome possible.
Patriots cornerback Jonathan Jones was in coverage on Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett during Seattle's first and only drive of overtime. Jones was called for pass interference on a first-and-10 play despite not making the kind of contact that would warrant a penalty. Jones was turned around and tried to make a play on the ball.
The penalty cost the Patriots 20 yards and put the ball on their 49-yard line. The Seahawks eventually moved the ball to the Patriots' 13-yard line and kicker Jason Myers hit a 31-yard field goal to seal the victory.
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Jones told reporters in the locker room after the game that even Lockett admitted the pass interference call wasn't a penalty.
Jonathan Jones said Tyler Lockett told him that his DPI in overtime “wasn’t a penalty.”
— Zack Cox (@zm_cox) September 15, 2024
“Straight up, that’s what he told me. It sucks because I feel like that was the play of the game.” pic.twitter.com/6vk5894N17
It's absolutely possible that the Seahawks still would have won the game without the pass interference penalty being called. The penalty happened on a first-and-10 play, not a third- or fourth-down situation. And to the Seahawks' credit, they picked up a bunch more yards after the penalty. The penalty itself didn't move them into field goal position.
The Patriots had more than enough chances to win this game. They led 20-17 late in the fourth quarter and had a field goal attempt blocked with 3:52 on the clock. The Patriots also got the ball first in overtime and went three-and-out.
It was a tough loss for the Patriots, but they can't dwell on it too long because their next matchup is Thursday night against the New York Jets on the road.
