Orchard Park, N.Y. (Audacy Sports/WGR 550) - The Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings just played the game of the year on Sunday, and probably the most exciting game since the Bills-Chiefs AFC Divisional Round game back in January.
Just like that game, the Bills lost in overtime, this time falling 33-30, as the Vikings overcame a 27-10 deficit for an improbable road victory.
Also like the Bills-Chiefs playoff game, the final minutes were pure chaos, filled with incredible plays, shocking mistakes and controversial officiating.
Here’s a look at what happened and how fans and media were reacting to it on social media:
Justin Jefferson makes unbelievable catch (and so did Stefon Diggs)
The game of the year may have also included the catch of the year, which looked like it had actually happened earlier when Stefon Diggs made an unbelievable one-handed catch on a third down play to keep a Bills drive alive.
But Diggs' catch was nothing but an afterthought after Justin Jefferson hauled in a one-handed catch of his own with less than two minutes in the fourth quarter — on 4th-and-18 — to pick up the first down.
What made Jefferson’s catch even more impressive was that he somehow pried it away from Bills cornerback Cam Lewis, who actually had two hands on the ball. Jefferson then maintained possession as he went to the ground, all with the ball in one hand.
Jefferson’s catch sent social media into a frenzy. It was so good, even Odell Beckham Jr., who knows a thing or two about one-handed catches, was impressed.
Vikings stopped on goal line
After Jefferson’s insane catch, the Vikings looked poised to pull off the comeback and win the game in regulation, driving all the way down to the Buffalo three-yard line. However, Cousins slipped and fell for a three-yard loss on the first play, was unable to connect with Jefferson on second down, and found him on third down but a replay found he was a yard short of the goal line.
On fourth down, Dalvin Cook dropped a pass that looked like it could be a touchdown, but an offsides allowed the Vikings another crack at the end zone. They ran a quarterback sneak with Cousins only to be denied and turning the ball over on downs with the Bills up 27-23.
Bills fumble in end zone
The Bills just needed to get out from their own goal line and the victory would be secured. However, Josh Allen fumbled the snap and the Vikings recovered in the end zone for a touchdown, going up 29-27. At this point was when fans started to realize the game was turning into an instant classic.
Gabriel Davis catch not reviewed
With 49 seconds to go and trailing 30-27, the Bills still had plenty of time to get into field goal range. It only took three plays to pull the Bills within range when Allen connected with wide receiver Gabriel Davis for a 20-yard completion to the Vikings’ 40-yard line.
It was a nice diving catch by Davis near the sideline, but replays showed he may have bobbled the ball when he landed, not fully completing the catch. With under two minutes left, all reviews come from the booth, but the Bills got off the next play quickly and the catch was not reviewed at all.
Bills tie the game, send the game to overtime
The Bills managed to inch even closer to the end zone, and Allen even took a couple of shots for the win, including a look to Davis again, who drew a defensive pass interference call to bring the Bills to the Vikings’ 11-yard line. However, with just five seconds remaining at that point, the Bills kicked the field goal to force overtime.
Vikings win coin toss, Allen throws game-ending interception
The Vikings won the coin toss for overtime and it started to look like déjà vu all over again with the Bills standing on the sideline as the opposing team marched down field eating up the clock. The Vikings eventually settled for a field goal with 3:45 left, giving Allen and the Bills one last glimmer of hope.
While Allen got a chance to take the offense down the field, pulling them into the red zone, he threw a game-ending interception to Patrick Peterson, his second interception of the game, to seal a 33-30 win for the Vikings and end to the best game of the 2022 season thus far.
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