Ron Rivera: replay challenges something 'we have to live with'

By Patrick Finley

Ron Rivera ran out of challenges in the first half Sunday. (Getty Images)

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Panthers coach Ron Rivera ran out of challenges about 20 minutes into Sunday’s 24-10 Super Bowl loss to the Broncos.

The former Bears player and coach was correct on his second challenge — when Peyton Manning fell to the ground and got up to throw an incomplete pass. Rivera was right: Manning was touched while down.

However, because Rivera lost his first challenge — when Jerricho Cotchery was ruled to have dropped a ball — he was ineligible to receive a third attempt.

“If they would have said it was a completion, it would have been a completion,” he said. “Instead, he called it an incompletion, and that’s what we have to live with.”

Follow me on Twitter @patrickfinley

Email: pfinley@suntimes.com

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