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Worst call against each NFL team in their history

By Mike Phillips

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 29: Referee Craig Wrolstad #4 reviews a play during a game between the Washington Redskins and the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on December 29, 2019 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 29: Referee Craig Wrolstad #4 reviews a play during a game between the Washington Redskins and the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on December 29, 2019 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images) /
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BALTIMORE, MD – NOVEMBER 15: Center Stefen Wisniewski #61 of the Jacksonville Jaguars lines up against Timmy Jernigan #97 of the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on November 15, 2015, in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD – NOVEMBER 15: Center Stefen Wisniewski #61 of the Jacksonville Jaguars lines up against Timmy Jernigan #97 of the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on November 15, 2015, in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

What was the worst call to go against each of the NFL’s 32 teams?

No matter who you talk to, football fans will tell you that the referees are against their favorite team. Raiders’ fans will tell you the league has a vendetta against their squad, which has seen plenty of bad calls go against them. While we could spend a few hours talking about the Raiders’ misfortune, let’s take a look at the worst call the officials have made against each of the NFL’s 32 teams.

Arizona Cardinals: Letting the 1948 championship game be played as scheduled

We’re hopping in the way back machine to the Cardinals’ Chicago days when they were playing the Philadelphia Eagles for the NFL championship in 1948. The weather was dreadful as there was a massive blizzard in Philadelphia but the game was played anyway since it was going to be the first NFL championship game to be televised. The poor conditions played a significant role in the Cardinals’ 7-0 loss.

Atlanta Falcons: Navorro Bowman gets away with pass interference in the 2012 NFC Championship Game

The 2012 NFC title game wasn’t going well for the Falcons, who blew an early lead to fall behind the San Francisco 49ers 28-24 late in the fourth quarter. Atlanta had a chance to score the go-ahead touchdown on fourth and goal with just over a minute left but Matt Ryan’s pass towards Roddy White was broken up by Bowman. Replays showed that Bowman was holding White prior to the pass, which should have led to a pass interference penalty and an automatic first down. The refs didn’t see it, however, ending the game and sending the 49ers to the Super Bowl.

Baltimore Ravens: The refs give the Jaguars a gift in 2015

This scenario was a bit odd, but in 2015 the Ravens were absolutely screwed against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Baltimore was up one in the final seconds with the Jaguars lining up to attempt a Hail Mary shot. Jacksonville didn’t set properly, but the refs missed it, allowing the play to proceed, where Elvis Dumervil was flagged for a facemask. The penalty gave the Jaguars a field goal for the win, but if the refs had called the illegal motion the game would have been over and Baltimore would have won.

Buffalo Bills: The Music City Miracle

This is a painful moment for Bills fans, who will still insist to this day that Frank Wycheck threw a forward lateral to Kevin Dyson. Referees disagreed, ruling that the ball traveled on a parallel path down the 25-yard line from Wycheck to Dyson, who took it the distance for a touchdown. The play was reviewed but stood after there was not enough conclusive evidence to overturn the original call, giving the Titans a win and the Bills the beginning of a lengthy playoff drought.

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