NFL Game Outcomes and Controversies
NFL officials have significantly impacted the results of numerous games throughout the season. So, why should the playoffs be any different?
In the AFC Divisional Round, a key moment occurred during overtime between Buffalo and Denver. Bills quarterback Josh Allen connected with wide receiver Brandin Cooks on a deep pass, seemingly putting the Bills in a prime position to win. However, defensive player Jaquan McMillan, who was covering Cooks, fell to the ground and rolled over him, ultimately coming away with the ball.
The umpire closest to the action quickly ruled it an interception, leading to a change in possession. Bills head coach Sean McDermott immediately called a timeout, hoping to give the officials a moment to reconsider what seemed like a contentious call. While Cooks initially had the ball, it appeared he went down in the process, with his knee touching the ground and McMillan making contact.
Despite this, officials opted not to reevaluate the play closely, and the original ruling stood.
After the game, referee Karl Chaffers articulated the rationale behind the decision. “Receivers need to complete the process of the catch,” he stated. “He was trying to go to the ground as part of making the catch but lost control of the ball as he hit the ground. At that point, the defender gained possession.” According to Chaffers, the ball then belonged to the defender as he completed the catch process.
Interestingly, visual evidence suggests Cooks was, in fact, on his knees and in control of the ball, lying on his side while defenders were making contact with him throughout the play.
It raises the question of whether the play should have been viewed as complete or not from Cooks’ perspective.
Mike Florio from Pro Football Talk highlighted this inconsistency, juxtaposing Cooks’ situation with that of a catch in the Steelers-Ravens game earlier in the season. In that case, an interception ruling was overturned when an offensive player failed to “survive the ground.” NFL Vice President of Instant Replay Mark Butterworth had commented then that the offensive player had control while going down and maintained it when he hit the ground. Due to that interpretation of the rules, the player was deemed “down due to contact with ball control.”
If the same reasoning had been applied to the Bills game, perhaps the outcome might have been different, and Buffalo could have advanced in the playoffs.
