Refs blew 2 massive calls that could've killed Vikings in Buffalo

There were two clearly egregious examples.

Author:
Joe Nelson
Publish date:
Nov 14, 2022 10:15 AM EST

While the Minnesota Vikings emerged victorious from Buffalo Sunday, it didn't come without the refs blowing some big calls.

We know, we know, the Vikings won so why moan? Well considering it was extremely conceivable right up until Patrick Peterson's interception that the Vikings would lose, it's only fair to scrutinize some of the officiating.

Chief among the egregious calls was Gabe Davis' "catch" in the 4th quarter.

With the Vikings ahead 30-27 after the defense recovered Josh Allen's fumble in the end zone, Allen began leading Buffalo's march down the field when on 2nd-and-2 from their own 40 he connected with Davis for a 20-yard catch.

Despite it being a sideline catch with Davis falling out of bounds, neither the refs nor replay officials stopped the game to review the play. Being under two minutes, Kevin O'Connell didn't have the option to throw a challenge flag.

"It was right in front of me. Didn't think that was a catch. In that mode that needs to be something either is from up top or possibly from New York and we didn't get any clarification on that. I did ask," O'Connell said.

NFL Senior VP of Officiating Walt Anderson confirmed after the game that replay officials should've stopped the game and that had the play been reviewed, it would've been overturned to an incomplete pass.

In overtime, the Vikings moved the ball down to the Bills 2-yard line and had a first-and-goal when Dalvin Cook was stuffed for a 2-yard loss. Buffalo had 12 players on the field and the refs never noticed.

A penalty there would've put the ball at the 1-yard line. Instead, Cook was stuffed and Kirk Cousins was sacked for a 10-yard loss on the next play and Minnesota wound up settling for a field goal.

If either of those plays are called accurately, Minnesota might not have had to sweat it out in overtime the way they did.