A Giant missed call?
The Bills outlasted the Giants in an ugly, sloppy “Sunday Night Football” matchup in Week 6, but as is the case with a sizable amount of NFL games in 2023, it came with a bit of controversy.
With the Bills leading, 14-9, and just two seconds left on the clock at Buffalo’s 9-yard line, Tyrod Taylor heaved a pass to Darren Waller, and the refs opted to throw a flag on the play: Officials deemed that Buffalo linebacker Terrel Bernard interfered with Waller, pushing the ball to the 1-yard line and setting up an untimed down to decide the game.
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On the ensuing play, Taylor once again looked Waller’s way for a score, and Waller was, once again, held. Curiously, though, officials decided against calling any kind of penalty on the play. Ballgame over, Bills win.
Zero seconds on the clock.
One play to decide the game.
Bills defense comes away with the win! pic.twitter.com/iyWuitC4vw— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) October 16, 2023
Certainly, it’s curious for officials to flag one play in a crucial moment but not the next crucial moment, but maybe that first flag was a bit on the side of error: Typically, officials swallow the whistle in those game-altering moments to remove any kind of subjectivity to a game’s outcome.
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After the game, Giants head coach Brian Daboll skirted the referee issue, instead giving credit to the Bills for playing hard and to the Giants for coming within one yard of the win.
Still, it’s another black eye on the NFL’s officiating crews, which have been met with plenty of scrutiny again in 2023.
The loss pushed the Giants to a disappointing 1-5 on the season, while the Bills step up to 4-2.
The referees may remain undefeated, however.
