ESPN analyst Booger McFarland may need to pull a rabbit out of his head to recover from this blunder on Monday Night Football.
While McFarland was providing color commentary alongside play-by-play broadcaster Joe Tessitore during the Baltimore Ravens’ game against the Los Angeles Rams at the Coliseum, McFarland shared a particularly backward take on a Rams’ red-zone penalty, with center Austin Corbett jumping offsides. That backed L.A. from the 7-yard line to the 12-yard line.
“I know you never want to get penalties. I understand that. You never want to get them,” McFarland said after L.A.’s error. “But this may actually help the Rams, because it gives them more room. Because all the Ravens are going to do as you get down close to the 10-yard line, the field shrinks. If you can’t run it in, it gets tough. So this may actually help the Rams as they try to pass this ball into the end zone.”
@AdamSchefter @RandyMoss @ESPNNFL Booger telling the @RamsNFL that you never want to take a penalty but this might actually help them score a touchdown. Wait what?!?! 🤔🤷🏾♂️#CmonMan #MNFxESPN pic.twitter.com/M8TjAS5euZ
— D€€BO (@MPurewal3) November 26, 2019
It did not help. Here’s what happened next.
- 2nd & 10 at the Baltimore 19: Goff passes short left to Todd Gurley for -7 yards.
- 3rd & 17 at the Baltimore 19: Goff passes short right to Cooper Kupp for five yards.
- 4th & 12 at the Baltimore 14: Greg Zuerlein hits a 32 yard field goal.
NFL fans did not see what McFarland was seeing.
Booger McFarland: "That 5 yard penalty inside the Red Zone actually helped the Rams, more room to operate" down 14-0, he might be worse than Joe Buck #BALvsLAR #MNF pic.twitter.com/3BV5cdItZ3
— Michelle Mahomes (@MahomesMichelle) November 26, 2019
“That 8 yard loss on that play was a good thing for the Rams offense because now they have more room to work on 3rd down from the 20.” – Booger, probably.
— NFL Philosophy (@NFLosophy) November 26, 2019
Update: he was wrong (and also he said a play later “I mean 3rd and long is hard against this secondary”)
— Jason Moore (@jasonffl) November 26, 2019
Booger: "A false start penalty on 2nd and 5 might actually help the Rams"
[next play goes for -7 yards. 3rd and 17] pic.twitter.com/mxeTyePgND
— Bate™ (@NoPlanB_) November 26, 2019
If Booger liked that false start to get more room for the Rams, he has to really like that big loss on 2nd down.
— Busted Coverage (@bustedcoverage) November 26, 2019
#MNF according to Booger, it was good for the Rams to get a penalty to get more room. The sack on the following play must be awesome then!
— Steve Cimino (@scimino01) November 26, 2019
Booger McFarland just said a false start penalty in the redZone actually helps the rams…. it gives Goff more room to throw…. pic.twitter.com/FMBRmbR9QL
— THE LANDAWG (@itslandooo5) November 26, 2019
Booger McFarland thought it was good for the Rams to get a penalty because it gave them more room. Now they should be really happy after that loss of 10 on the screen!
— 🚨 Joe DiBiase 🚨 (@SneakyJoeWGR) November 26, 2019
At least that failed screen pass will give them EVEN MORE room to work, right Booger?
— Cameron DaSilva (@camdasilva) November 26, 2019
Suggesting that a Penalty near the goal line is "good for the Rams" is just peak Booger! #MNF is so bad. pic.twitter.com/kEbN2nOoEJ
— S-AI (@sairamr) November 26, 2019
*Rams get false start penalty, lose 5 yards*
Booger: This is really gonna benefit the Rams. pic.twitter.com/iLoNupwfPr
— Eric Himmelheber (@erichimmelheber) November 26, 2019