NFL Admits Officials Screwed Over The Bills

The Buffalo Bills got pretty dang dicked over last night during their 31-25 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

The refs missed a crucial unnecessary roughness call on Richard Sherman during a 53-yard field goal attempt at the end of the first half, and NFL senior VP of officiating Dean Blandino stated as much:

Buffalo kicker Dan Carpenter went down after Sherman (who was flagged for jumping offsides) went down to block the ball right as Carpenter went for the kick, toppling the kicker right over him.

Carpenter understandably stayed down after the play, which forced the Bills to use an injury timeout, leading Rex Ryan to send out his guys to spike the ball so Carpenter could return for the second down. The Bills received a dang delay of game penalty right as Carpenter made his 49-yard kick. On the next snap, Carpenter kicked the ball wide right and went into halftime down 28-17.

Had Sherman actually been penalized for unnecessary roughness, per anyone not in the Pacific Northwest with eyes plus Dean Blandino, the Bills could have attempted a plain-ol’ 38 yarder. Those three points would have proved mighty useful to the Bills, who ended the game by going for it on fourth down in the red zone while down 31-25.

Rex Ryan was understandably spitting mad after the game, and Pete Carroll went on the radio today and said he thought Carpenter had “ham[med] it up a little bit too.” Seahawks beat writer Sheil Kapadia says Carroll “said Richard Sherman should have been called for unnecessary roughness, but added that the officials should have whistled the play dead.”

Seems like we’re all on the same page now. Better luck next week, Buffalo.