NFL officiating crew on Bills' next game will bring back bad memories for Buffalo

The Buffalo Bills benefited from a favorable Week 1 officiating matchup, but they may not enjoy the same for a Week 2 meeting with the New York Jets.

In Week 1, Buffalo saw Phil Hussey’s crew manage the game against the Ravens effectively, with several close calls being ruled accurately and in the Bills’ favor. Hussey’s crew had called the fewest penalties per game in 2024 and threw just 12 flags in Buffalo’s win over Baltimore.

Things may change this week, as the officiating crew set to take the field during the Bills’ Week 2 meeting with the Jets is sure to bring up some bad memories for Buffalo football fans.

Clete Blakeman and crew will be on the call for the Bills at the Jets Sunday at 1 p.m., the lead official who was assigned to Buffalo’s AFC Championship Game loss to the Kansas City Chiefs a season ago. In that game against the Chiefs, Blakeman and crew made several questionable calls that went against the Bills and led to their ultimate demise.

Beginning in the second quarter, a pass from Patrick Mahomes to Xavier Worthy appeared to hit the ground while Worthy was attempting to gather possession. But upon the Bills challenging the play, the ruling of a 26-yard completion was upheld, providing the Chiefs with a critical first down that led to a touchdown before the end of the first half.

Later, with 13:21 remaining in the fourth quarter and the Bills leading 22-21, a screen pass on third-and-3 from quarterback Josh Allen to tight end Dalton Kincaid was ruled short of the line to gain despite replays showing Kincaid had reached the first-down marker. On the following play, Allen went for the fourth-and-1 with a quarterback sneak, but the Bills were once again marked short.

A replay review determined there was inconclusive video evidence to move the spot, and the play was upheld. After the turnover on downs, the Chiefs scored five plays later to take the lead.

Patrick Mahomes and Clete Blakeman — Aug 20, 2022; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) talks with referee Clete Blakeman (34) against the Washington Commanders prior to the game | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Blakeman’s crew is known as one of the most flag-heavy in the league, calling an average of 15.47 penalties per game during the 2024 season, which ranked as the most of any officiating crew in the NFL. It officiated the Green Bay Packers-Detroit Lions game in Week 1, throwing 11 flags that amounted to 80 penalty yards.

Past experiences do not necessarily guarantee future outcomes, but Buffalo fans won’t be happy to see Blakeman wearing the white hat on Sunday afternoon.

The Bills were called for five penalties for 38 yards in Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens, while the Jets suffered from seven flags, which set them back a total of 74 yards. How the final tally works out this weekend will be something to watch.

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