Bills, fans perplexed by overturned TD
FOXBOROUGH, MASS. — The Buffalo Bills have endured their share of near misses against the New England Patriots.
With Buffalo’s hopes of ending a 17-year playoff drought pinned to what happened in its final two games, the Bills played the Patriots close in the first half of Sunday’s 37-16 National Football League loss.
But one play was still stinging as they trudged off the field, as their hopes of making the postseason became an even wilder jumble of scenarios than when the day began.
Trailing 13-10 in the closing seconds of the second quarter, Buffalo (8-7) was in position to take the lead, but an apparent four-yard touchdown pass from Tyrod Taylor to Kelvin Benjamin in the corner of the end zone was overturned after an official review.
The play shocked Benjamin, who thought he’d given his team a big momentum boost heading into halftime. “I mean definitely, but ref made the call and you’ve got to live with that,” Benjamin said. “We just wanted to move on, try to come back out (in the second half) and put some more points on the board.”
The Bills were forced to settle for a 23-yard field goal as the half expired. They only managed three points in the second half.
Initially, Benjamin was ruled to have gotten both feet down while in possession of the ball. After looking at replays, officials ruled that he was juggling the ball when his first foot hit the turf.
“It was clear and obvious that he did not have control of the ball until he brought it all the way down into his chest,” referee Craig Wrolstad said in a pool report after the game.
“The (officials) always seem to get it right for the Patriots, but that’s not why we lost,” said running back LeSean McCoy, who finished with 71 yards on 17 carries. “It sure would have helped out in the game. We battled hard. We have to do a better job finishing . ... It’s just crazy because we put so much into it, to get robbed like that. Come on, that was a touchdown.”
Coach Sean McDermott was perplexed.
“Yeah, I’m at a loss,” he said. “A loss as to, I saw it as a touchdown. And other than that, all I can say right now is I am at a loss for how a play like that can get overturned.”
The play was met with almost immediate criticism across social media.
The list included former NFL officiating vice-president Mike Pereira.
“Regarding the Buffalo no touchdown, nothing more irritating to an official than to make a great call and then someone in a suit in an office in New York incorrectly reverses it,” he posted on Twitter.
But nothing about that play had anything to do with Buffalo’s shortcomings in the second half.
The Bills managed just 133 yards of offence in the final two quarters, while going one for six on third down and 0 for four in the red zone.