Bucs' no-call robs them of chance to beat Bills
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers didn't have much reason to be in a position where they could beat the Buffalo Bills on Thursday night. Yet, there they were, needing a Hail Mary to win the game with seconds left. Like most desperation heaves – it didn't work. Maybe it would have if Chris Godwin turned his […]
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers didn't have much reason to be in a position where they could beat the Buffalo Bills on Thursday night. Yet, there they were, needing a Hail Mary to win the game with seconds left.
Like most desperation heaves – it didn't work. Maybe it would have if Chris Godwin turned his head around sooner. At the same time, however, the refs missed a pretty blatant defensive pass interference call on Bucs tight end Cade Otton that would've given Baker Mayfield and co. one last shot to win the game from the Bills' one-yard line.
You never want to blame officiating for a loss and that's not what's happening here, at all. The Bucs offense was harassed and dominated by the Bills defense all night long. Plain and simple. It really shouldn't have even been a one-score game. The only reason it was within reach at the end is because Tampa Bay was the very lucky recipient of not one, but two, deflected passes that helped cut the Bills' lead down to six points.
Still, that's how the NFL works. The littlest of things can completely turn a game around and that's what happened. Even if the Bucs didn't really deserve to win, they at least deserved their shot at winning. It's safe to say any fan would want the right call on their side, at the end of the day.
The context is important, here, as well. Typically, you don't want a call in this situation because it looks too much like the refs are deciding the outcome of the game, which is never a good situation. That's reserved more for ticky-tack calls, however. Otton getting mugged and tackled on a play that involves a catchable ball does not fall under that category.
Again, no one is saying the Bucs would've converted their free attempt from the Bills 1 if they were given the chance. But they should've at least been given the chance to try.
