The Buffalo Bills lost a close game to the division rival New England Patriots last week, but the NFL has admitted a mistake that could have turned the tide.
The Bills fell short in the 29-26 loss, with a late interception by quarterback Josh Allen and a first down from the Patriots. sealing the game. The Bills lost out on a chance to seize a three-game lead over the reigning AFC East champions, and could leave the week tied after the Patriots dismantled the Las Vegas Raiders.
The loss could sting a bit more after the NFL admitted that it missed what should have been a significant penalty on the Patriots.
Call Could Have Given Ball Back to Josh Allen
The NFL on Saturday handed out fines for all Week 4 games, including one for Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson on a chop block. As SI.com reporter John Green noted, the missed call came late in the fourth quarter, on a play that sealed the victory for the Patriots.
“If fans’ memories are foggy, the sequence in question was a 12-yard completion to tight end Hunter Henry from [quarterback Drake] Maye on 3rd-and-10 with 55 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter of the matchup,” Green wrote. “Off play-action to Henderson, the third-year quarterback rolled to his right and found Henry in the flat for an easy pass-and-catch to move the chains and secure a critical victory in the AFC East.”
As Green noted, the Patriots would have faced an even longer third-down attempt if referees had correctly seen and called the penalty. That would have given the Bills a chance to get the ball back into the hands of Allen, trailing by just a field goal in the final minute.
The missed call led to criticism among Bills fans, who noted the critical stakes of the missed call.
Bills Face Difficult Task
The Bills face a challenge in this week’s game, facing the Los Angeles Rams in Monday Night Football.
The Rams got some good news on two key defensive players for the game. Defensive tackle Aaron Donald and cornerback Jaylen Watson are both set to return from injuries, while the Bills will be without veteran wide receiver Joshua Palmer after he was ruled out.
The Bills will turn to rookie wide receiver Skyler Bell, who had been a healthy scratch through the first game games this season.
NFL Under Fire After Admitting Critical Missed Call in Bills Loss to Patriots