Referee Brad Allen Blows Three Calls In 24 Seconds — All Against The Bengals

Every fan of every NFL team will at some point believe that officiating crews have it in for their favorite squad. When such things come up, I like to remind people of Hanlon's Razor: "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity." This explains modern officiating far more accurately than any conspiracy theory you'd care to trot out. 

That said, Cincinnati Bengals fans would be forgiven for thinking that the officiating crew led by referee Brad Allen was all in favor of the Los Angeles Chargers near the end of the first half of Sunday night's game. It's bad enough for the Bengals that their overwhelmed defense has no answers for Justin Herbert and that offense. They didn't need Allen's crew piling on. But that's what happened. 

It all began with 32 seconds left in the first half. Bengals pass-rusher Trey Hendrickson was flagged for roughing the passer, despite the fact that he brought Herbert down in what appeared to be a legal fashion. Hendrickson took Herbert down by the front of his jersey at the neck area. Maybe Allen and his crew thought that Hendrickson gave Herbert a tug on the face mask or a horse-collar tackle by grabbing the back of the jersey at the neck area, but neither one of those things happened.