The Patriots were screwed out of a chance to score a 69-yard touchdown due to an inadvertent whistle. The Bills, on the other hand, weren't given the chance to launch a final Hail Mary with two seconds left. Like the mistake that hurt the Patriots in the third quarter on Monday night, the mistake at the end of the game that killed the Bills' chances can be chalked up to poor officiating.
The Bills, trailing by a touchdown in the fourth quarter, were trying their best to mount a game-tying drive. On the final play, quarterback Tyrod Taylor hit Sammy Watkins at the 48-yard line. With two seconds remaining, Watkins scooted out of bounds to stop the clock.
Sammy Watkins was never touched and rolled out of bounds, they should have one more play with 2 seconds left pic.twitter.com/AQF7zmiIc3
— The Cauldron (@TheCauldron) November 24, 2015
Instead, the official on the sideline signaled for the clock to continue to roll. The remaining time ran out and the game ended.
As the majority of viewers suspected, the officials got it wrong. The clock should've stopped when Watkins went out of bounds.
Not that it really makes a difference, but the clock should have stopped on that last play. He went out untouched.
— Mike Pereira (@MikePereira) November 24, 2015
In that situation the clock must be stopped and that is an officiating mistake......
— Jim Daopoulos (@RefereeJimD) November 24, 2015
If a player is trying to get out of bounds and goes sideways., backwards or forward at that point in game....you stop the clock!
— Jim Daopoulos (@RefereeJimD) November 24, 2015
Monday night was a complete mess for the officials. And both teams were affected.
