Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott unleashed some unusually harsh criticism of officials after the team’s 33-30 overtime loss to the Denver Broncos, questioning a controversial call that set up the game-winning field goal.
Bills receiver Brandin Cooks appeared to have an overtime catch that would have put the Bills in range for a winning field goal, but Broncos cornerback JaâQuan McMillian snatched the ball away when they both hit the ground. Though it appeared that Cooks initially had possession and was downed by contact, officials on the field ruled it an interception for McMillian, and the Broncos got the game-winning score on the next possession.
Though McDermott has been historically reluctant to criticize officials, he made it clear after the game that he believed the call was wrong.
Sean McDermott Criticizes Game-Changing Call
Speaking to reporters after the game, McDermott said he could not understand why it was ruled an interception — and why it would not warrant a longer review.
“It’s hard for me to understand why it was ruled the way it was ruled,” McDermott said. “If it is ruled that way, then why wasn’t it slowed down just to make sure that we have this right. That would have made a lot of sense to me. … Because that’s a pivotal play in the game. [We’d] have the ball at the 20 and may be kicking a game-winning field goal right there.
“So I’ll just leave it at that.”
McDermott later expanded on his thoughts in a pool report with Buffalo News reporter Jay Skurski, getting even sharper in his criticism of both the call and lack of review.
“That play is not even close,” McDermott said. “That’s a catch all the way. I sat in my locker and I looked at it probably 20 times, and nobody can convince me that that ball is not caught and in possession of Buffalo. I just have no idea how the NFL handled it, in particular, the way that they did. I think the players and the fans deserve an explanation, you know?”
Skurski noted in his questions that McDermott has historically shied away from directly criticizing officials, but the Bills coach said he stood by the criticism.
“I’m pissed off about it, and I feel strongly as I’ve looked at it in review in my own locker that it’s a catch, possession Buffalo, and the process should have been … handled differently,” McDermott said. “I don’t understand why the head official who is at the game does not get a chance to look at the same thing people in New York are ruling on.”
Officials Explain Controversial Call
Referee Carl Cheffers defended the call, telling a pool reporter after the game that Cooks never maintained possession through his contact with the ground, allowing McMillian to take the ball away.
âThe receiver has to complete the process of a catch,” Cheffers said, via Buffalo Rumblings. “He was going to the ground as part of the process of hte catch and he lost possession of the ball when he hit the ground. Ther defender gained possesion of it at that point. The defense is the one that completed the process of the catch, so the defender was awarded the ball.â
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