Broncos' huge win over Bills clouded by controversy, but one play proves it all wrong

Travis Wakeman

•
Broncos' huge win over Bills clouded by controversy, but one play proves it all wrong image

The Denver Broncos outlasted the Buffalo Bills in overtime on Saturday night in the divisional round of the playoffs, winning 33-30 to advance to the AFC Championship Game. 

As talk of what took place at Empower Field at Mile High on Sunday takes place, while the Broncos are already having to deal with the brutal news that Bo Nix will miss the rest of the season, the overall theme coming from many within the media and fans around the league is that the Bills somehow got "hosed". 

Before we get into why that's just not true, it must be stated that this was a highly-competitive game where it was difficult to see either team lose. Games like these are what the NFL playoffs are all about and it's always frustrating when a game like this comes down to one side or the other feeling like they were victims of poor officiating. 

But even Bills head coach Sean McDermott leaned into that. 

The play in which McDermott is upset about is below, in which Brandin Cooks goes up for the ball, comes down with it (for about half a second) and then has it taken away from him by Broncos defensive back Ja'Quan McMillian. It's a bang-bang play that is difficult to judge, but in real time, it looks like the officials got this one right. 

In no way, shape, or form should that be ruled a catch. Sure, you can freeze it frame by frame and make it look like it was, but he never, ever has this ball. And if he doesn't, and McMillian rolls over with it, how can it be anything but an interception?

On the ensuing possession, the Bills are flagged for two separate defensive pass interference calls. The first one, called against Taron Johnson while defending Courtland Sutton, was certainly questionable. Though Johnson does grab his arm and hold it back, it would have been passable to let that play go. However, Joey Bosa was penalized for roughing the passer on the same play, so the Broncos were going to have an automatic first down anyway. 

The next call, which was a penalty on Tre'Davious White while matched up against Marvin Mims Jr., is very clearly pass interference. White, beaten on the play, all but tackles Mims while the ball is in the air. That play put the ball inside the Bills' 10-yard line and essentially sealed their fate. 

But there's a reason why none of what has been discussed so far would have ever even mattered. This play, which there was no penalty called, is about as blatant a case of holding as you will see in an NFL game. On top of that, it occurs in the end zone, meaning the Broncos would have been awarded a game-winning safety. 

If that gets called, none of the plays the Bills and several within the media are upset about would have ever happened. Perhaps most frustrating is the fact that Nix would have never gotten hurt, either. 

READ: Sean Payton hypes up Jarrett Stidham with Broncos booked for AFC Championship Game

With that said, if poor officiating is going to be used as an excuse for a loss, it has to be looked at from all sides, not just a select few plays. The Bills are a terrific team that played a great game, but they also turned the ball over five times. That should be the topic of discussion when considering this loss, not anything done by the officials. 

More Broncos Content

Broncos will rally around Jarrett Stidham and Broncos Country should not be panicked

Bo Nix broke ankle on play before controversial pass interference on Tre'Davious White

Did Bo Nix get injured during Broncos' playoff win over Bills?

Two unheralded Broncos defensive players made the two biggest plays in win over Bills

Bo Nix has chance to change unbelievable Broncos playoff statistic

Editorial Team