Since the NFL is now prohibiting teams and coaches and G.M.’s and owners from criticizing bad calls by game officials, the media has an even greater obligation to do it for them.

So here we go. 

With the Titans inside the Minnesota five and leading by six points, 13-7, Tennessee coach Jeff Fisher opted to take his chances on fourth down and more than a yard to go.

Using play-action via a fake to speedy rookie tailback Chris Johnson, who already has scored one short-yardage touchdown on the day, quarterback Kerry Collins threw a short pass to receiver Justin Gage, who ran a quick out route from near the right edge of the tackle box.

Gage was instantly swarmed by Vikings defenders.  He spun and lunged and eventually lost control of the ball before the whistle.  By all appearances, Gage didn’t make it to the stick for the first down.

Enter the line judge, who spotted the ball inside the one, well beyond the point to which Gage had moved the ball.

And so the Vikings challenged the play.

Based on our review of the replay, Gage simply didn’t make it to the stick.  Also, the ball was clearly out before Gage was down.  The only question, in our view, was whether the replay showed conclusively that the Vikings had recovered the ball.  (In our estimation, none of the angles available on the FOX broadcast were clear on that point.)

The referee is Pete Morelli, who once created a big stir via a horrible replay ruling in a playoff game between the Steelers and the Colts.  Morelli went under the hood, and he said only that the ruling on the field stands.

The next image was of the ball resting inside the Minnesota one, obviously (in our view) beyond the point at which Gage had gained.

And then the increasingly portly LenDale White of the Titans scored a touchdown on the next play.

At a minimum, Morelli bungled this one by not explaining the ruling.  Did Gage fumble?  Was there inconclusive evidence that the Vikings recovered?  Or was the ruling only that there wasn’t conclusive evidence as to where the ball should be re-spotted?

We think that Morelli opted to take the easy way out on this one, and that’s not the way a referee should be earning his paycheck.

UPDATE:  The Vikings have cut the deficit to ten at the half.  Thanks to a fumble by Titans quarterback Kerry Collins, the Vikes had a chance to trim it to seven, but Ryan Longwell’s 48-yard attempt shtoinked off the upright.  Our pal Chris Myers of FOX made an obscure Caddyshack reference, proclaiming that the Vikings get nothing, and will have to like it.