NFL Admits Major Blown Call In 2020 Playoff Game

Back in January of 2020, the Buffalo Bills fell in a heartbreaker to the Houston Texans in the AFC Wild Card round of the playoffs.
Part of the reason for the late loss was a 15-yard penalty given to offensive lineman Chad Ford for an illegal blindside block that knocked Buffalo out of field goal range. The Texans went on to kick the game-winning field goal just a few minutes later and advanced to the AFC Divisional round with a 22-19 victory.

However, it looks like Ford shouldn’t have been assessed a penalty at all.

The NFL has seemingly admitted fault for throwing a flag against the Bills offensive lineman back on Jan. 4, 2020. In a recent video from the league’s officiating office, Ford’s block is actually used as an example of a clean play.

“Back towards his own end line, and again just makes really more of a nudge block,” NFL Senior VP of Officiating Training and Development Walt Anderson said in the video as Ford’s block is shown. “Not the type of forcible contact threshold that has to be met for a blindside block rule.”

At the time of the call, a handful of rules officials disagreed with the decision to give Ford a 15-yard penalty.

“The player is blocking toward his own end line, but the very subjective question would be does he make forcible contact with the shoulder?” NBC rules analyst Terry McAulay, a former NFL referee, tweeted during the 2020 playoff game. “Based on what I’ve seen called and not called this year I would have to say it is not.”

FOX Sports’ rules analyst and the NFL’s former supervisor of officials Mike Pereira agreed with McAulay.

“I think the call is incorrect,” Pereira wrote on Twitter. “He doesn’t lead with his shoulder or head. He pushes him. It is a bad rule.”

Unfortunately, it’s too little too late for the Bills. Hopefully, the NFL has been able to learn from its mistake with Ford and will be prepared headed into next fall.

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – AUGUST 16: Cody Ford #70 of the Buffalo Bills against the Carolina Panthers during the third quarter of their preseason game at Bank of America Stadium on August 16, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – AUGUST 16: Cody Ford #70 of the Buffalo Bills against the Carolina Panthers during the third quarter of their preseason game at Bank of America Stadium on August 16, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

Blogs

MONTELL JORDAN REVEALS CANCER DIAGNOSIS

MONTELL JORDAN REVEALS CANCER DIAGNOSIS

Montell Jordan has revealed that the prostate cancer that he recovered from has now returned. Jordan has already had his prostate removed and said even though it was removed, he still needs to go back and have treatments because it’s been detected that there is still cancer. He called the situation ‘alarming’, but is also…

TEYANA TAYLOR TO HAVE THROAT SURGERY

TEYANA TAYLOR TO HAVE THROAT SURGERY

Teyana Taylor told her fans that she needs to have emergency throat surgery. In her IG Story posted on Wednesday, Taylor said her doctor found a non-cancerous growth on one of her vocal cords. Taylor said she had been dealing with voice problems and some discomfort for a while. She’s glad that doctors caught the…

MEGAN THEE STALLION TO HOST NEW SERIES

MEGAN THEE STALLION TO HOST NEW SERIES

Megan Thee Stallion just added a couple more titles to her resume. The Hot Girl Coach is slated to star in a new K-pop competition series for Apple TV+ alongside Psy. It’s called KPopped. The concept is simple — Western artists team up with K-pop stars to reimagine some of their hits. The Western artists…

DIDDY WANTS OUT OF JAIL BEFORE SENTENCING

DIDDY WANTS OUT OF JAIL BEFORE SENTENCING

Attorneys for Sean “Diddy” Combs are trying to get their client released before his October sentencing. On Tuesday, Diddy’s lawyers petitioned Judge Arun Subramanian to release Combs on a $50 million bond and allow him to live in his Miami mansion. Combs is currently awaiting sentencing in Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center. Earlier this month, Combs…