NFL refs back; Ravens lead Browns 23-10 after 3

September 28, 2012 - 4:40 pm | Category: Sports

This is a first. The NFL’s real officials made their season debut after the lockout on Thursday Night Football and instead of being booed, they received a standing ovation from the crowd in Baltimore. Some of the refs even tipped their caps to the crowd. Before the pre-game coin flip, referee Gene Steratroe had a special announcement for the players at midfield, saying, “Good evening, men, it’s good to be back.”

There was also a football game to be played, and the Ravens further delighted the crowd by beating the Cleveland Browns 23-16, although the Browns did make an impressive attempt at a late-game comeback. Ironically, much like the controversial Green Bay Packers-Seattle Seahawks contest on Monday night, the game came down a Hail Mary, which was incomplete this time, giving the Ravens the victory with no game-changing bad call by the real refs to ruin it.