The officiating crew in Sunday’s matchup between the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots didn’t exactly ease into the spotlight-they were front and center from the opening whistle. And by the time the final whistle blew, fans on both sides had a laundry list of complaints.
Let’s start with the early fireworks. Bills fans were already raising eyebrows at a quick replay assist that upheld a 30-yard Kayshon Boutte reception-a catch that looked shaky at best.
But that same replay system had no hesitation wiping out a deep shot to Brandin Cooks on the very next drive. The inconsistency in timing and decision-making set the tone for what would become a long afternoon for the officiating crew led by John Hussey.
In the second half, the pendulum swung the other way. Patriots fans found themselves on the wrong end of a couple of big flags.
First came a jump ball between Khalil Shakir and Marcus Jones that ended up in the hands of the Patriots defensive back. But the play was erased by a defensive pass interference call.
Then, Carlton Davis was flagged for another DPI on Keon Coleman, with the frustration this time focused less on the call itself and more on the delayed throw of the flag-something that always makes a controversial call feel even worse.
After the game, Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel took the high road, at least publicly. He acknowledged the calls were judgment-based and said all the right things about living with the decisions made on the field.
“The same guy thought it was his penalty the same way,” Vrabel said. “So, I mean, it's a judgment call.
Whether I disagree with it or not, it doesn't matter. He called it.
It's how this thing goes.”
Vrabel also gave credit where it was due-Josh Allen engineered a gutsy comeback, and the Patriots couldn’t hold him off. But by Monday morning, Vrabel’s tone had shifted.
In an interview with The Greg Hill Show on WEEI, Vrabel circled back to the officiating, pointing out what he saw as a glaring inconsistency.
“They do have a difficult job. The consistency, sometimes I struggle with it,” Vrabel said.
“I’ll say this: the Bills lead the NFL in offensive holds, and I’ll leave it at that. That would be hard for me to understand, how a team coming into the game leading, and that’s how they play, didn’t have one yesterday.
So that’s hard for me to understand.”
Here’s the thing: Vrabel’s frustration is understandable, but his memory might’ve been a little foggy. The Bills were, in fact, flagged for holding-and in a huge moment, no less.
A fourth-quarter touchdown run by Allen was erased due to a clear hold by right guard O’Cyrus Torrence. Of course, that penalty was quickly overshadowed by what happened next: Allen zipped a 13-yard touchdown pass to Dawson Knox on the very next play, giving Buffalo its first lead of the day.
So yes, the officials made their presence felt-just like they do in every NFL game. Some calls were questionable, some were late, and some were flat-out missed. That’s the reality of an imperfect system governed by human judgment.
But it’s also true that Buffalo scored 35 points and found a way to win. The game didn’t slip away from the Patriots because of one or two flags-it slipped because Allen and the Bills offense made plays when it mattered most.
And while it’s fair for Vrabel to raise concerns about consistency, it’s also fair to say this: the scoreboard told the story. The Bills made the plays. The Patriots didn’t.