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Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott
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 Ja’Quan 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.”
Nathan Dougherty is a sports reporter covering the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins. Previously he wrote for the Rochester Business Journal and served as the assistant editor of athletic trade magazines Coaching Management, Athletic Management and Training & Conditioning. He is based out of Rochester, New York, and loves everything football. More about Nathan Dougherty
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