Oakland Raiders coach Hue Jackson said Thursday that he asked the NFL why a penalty wasn't called on Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh for removing his helmet after he blocked Sebastian Janikowski's 65-yard field-goal attempt as time expired in last weekend's 28-27 Detroit victory.
Players can be penalized 15 yards for removing their helmets on the field of play. That could have given Janikowski another field-goal try, this time from 50 yards.
But Jackson said league officials told him that the game was over when Suh removed his helmet, so no penalty was called.
"They had blown end of regulation," Jackson said. "... So it's like going to shake somebody's hand. But it looked like it was close. It was inconclusive is what they said."
Jackson spoke to league officials to complain about the number of penalties being called on the Raiders after their 27-21 victory over the Minnesota Vikings in Week 11. The Raiders are on pace for 160 penalties for 1,374 yards, which would break the league record set by the 1998 Kansas City Chiefs.
"I'm not surprised anymore," Jackson said. "I'm not bashing the officials; I'm not saying that. I just think if you ask me what's been the difference (in losing close games), that's been a big difference."
