Refs admit they blew a huge call in Bills-Vikings game

NFL senior vice president of officiating Walt Anderson confirmed that one controversial play in the Buffalo Bills-Minnesota Vikings game should have been reviewed.

The NFL may have had it’s Game of the Year in Week 10 of this season. Two of the best teams in the league did battle, as the 6-2 Buffalo Bills hosted the 7-1 Minnesota Vikings. The end of the game was pure chaos, as it went to overtime, with the Vikings emerging with the 33-30 win.

On the final drive of the fourth quarter, there was a controversial play in which Bills wide receiver Gabriel Davis dove for a pass for Josh Allen and was called a completed pass. While Davis did get both knees down, he juggled the football and didn’t have clear possession. Yet, the referees didn’t review it, as the Bills quickly called a play.

After the game, pool reporter Lindsay Jones of the Pro Football Writers of America asked NFL senior vice president of officiating Walt Anderson why there was no replay review, to which he cited that the play was a long distance down the field, but mentioned that the replay official should have called for a stoppage of play to look at it.

The quotes come courtesy of the pool report.

Senior VP of officiating Walt Anderson says he would have reversed Gabriel Davis catch

“It was a significant distance down the field,” said Anderson. “And even though it happens fast and Buffalo hurries to the line of scrimmage for the next play, if the replay official can’t confirm it was a catch on that long of a completed pass, we should stop play to ensure it is a catch.”

Jones then asked Anderson if the replay crew had the chance to look at the play and if they would have ruled it a catch. Anderson said he would’ve reversed the call.

“We were able — several plays after — to look at all the angles,” said Anderson. It would have been reversed to an incomplete pass because he did not maintain control of the ball after he hit the ground and the ball touched the ground out of bounds.”

That was a critical play in the game, as it put the Bills into field goal range. Three plays later, Tyler Bass kicked a 29-yard field goal to tie the game up at 30-30 and force overtime. It was a play that had to have infuriated Vikings fans. Luckily for them, it did not result in a loss.

The Vikings orchestrated a 12-play drive that ended with Greg Joseph kicking a 33-yard field goal to take a 33-30 lead. The Bills were threatening, making it all the way to the Vikings’ own 20-yard line. Yet, Josh Allen threw a pass intended for Davis, but it was intercepted by cornerback Patrick Peterson, his second of the game.

If the replay crew had the chance to look at the Davis catch, Anderson says they would’ve reversed it. Vikings fans will probably be forgiven, since the team ended up winning the game after all.