Out of everything that happened in the Buffalo Bills' overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, I'm going to boil it down to two items.
I'm very angry about one and really worried about the other.
I'll get the angry part out of the way first: Officiating.
I'm not one who likes to blame losses on officiating, in part because there are always numerous other moments in the course of a game that help determine the outcome beyond officiating. But the officiating cost the Bills this game, plain and simple.
It can really just be about one no-call.
Buccaneers cornerback Carlton Davis should have been called for pass interference as he attempted to cover Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs in the end zone on a 3rd-and-2 from Tampa Bay's seven-yard line in the final half-minute of the fourth quarter. Davis clearly impeded Diggs' route and illegally prevented him from attempting to make a catch.
No flag.
On the very next play, the Bills kicked a field goal that forced overtime, and then you know how the rest of the game turned out.
If the penalty was called, the Bills would have had a 1st-and-goal at the one-yard line, and I like their chances of scoring, what likely would have been, a game-winning touchdown.
There were two other non-calls where Buccaneers defenders got away with grabbing Diggs. One came on a critical third down play during the Bills' lone possession of overtime.
In addition to three non-calls, there were two questionable pass interference calls that went against the Bills: One on Dane Jackson and the other on Levi Wallace in overtime.
That's five calls involving coverage by defenders, and none of the five went the Bills' way.
Josh Allen threw 54 passes on the day, and there wasn't a single coverage penalty on Tampa Bay. Zero pass interference calls. Zero holding calls.
Congratulations to the Buccaneers defense for pitching the NFL equivalent of a perfect game.
While I am angry about that, I also know mistakes by officials happen. It's a part of sports we all live with.
Bad coaching decisions by head coach Sean McDermott are much more worrisome, and they have become the norm this season.
The Bills trailed 10-0 in the second quarter and faced a 4th-and-goal at the Buccaneers' three-yard line. McDermott opted for a field goal.
You might have had flashbacks to the 2020 AFC Championship game at that moment.
In a first half where the defense was getting picked apart by the possible league MVP Tom Brady, the Bills head coach didn't think a touchdown would be more important. Tampa Bay has the No. 1 scoring offense and averages more than 30 points per-game, yet McDermott felt three points would be enough.
I'm not sure why he forgot you need touchdowns to beat the explosive offenses and not field goals.
In the third quarter, the Bills were down 24-3 and faced a 4th-and-2 at their own 45-yard line. McDermott called for a fake punt and it was stopped.
On the plus side, he realized time was working against his team and they needed to score a touchdown on that drive. If that was the thinking, why not leave the offense on the field and let them have the shot at gaining two yards?
With about two-and-a-half minutes left in the third quarter and the Bills now trailing 24-10, they once again sat at their own 45-yard line and faced another fourth down, this time 4th-and-3. McDermott opted to punt, and it came as no surprise to me.
I was actually surprised the offense stayed on the field, at first. Punting at that point is how McDermott has coached far too often this season. He is slipping back into what too many Bills coaches have done over the years by coaching conservatively. The game was about maintaining possession and needing touchdowns.
Last season, McDermott would go for it in those instances, because he knew his offense was really good. This season, he has turned into the coach who plays the field position game and trusts his defense.
After the punt, the defense came out and gave up an 11-play, 84-yard drive that ate up nearly six minutes of game time and made it a three-possession game.
It isn't all doom and gloom on this Monday.
The Bills still have a very good chance of making the playoffs, and even though they lost, you probably feel very good about the way the team looked during the furious second half comeback.
While this team is not one that should be looking for moral victories, perhaps that second half will be a turning point to get this team headed in the right direction.
