Ex-NFL Referee Drops Giant Truth Bomb On All 4 Controversial Calls In OT Of Bills-Broncos Thriller

This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.

Saturday’s Bills-Broncos game went about as controversially as you’d expect for a playoff tilt involving Buffalo. 

There were several questionable decisions that ultimately decided the result. The Bills fought back from their early struggles to send the game to overtime. However, they could only watch on as a Will Lutz field goal sailed through the uprights to seal their exit. 

Former NFL referee Gene Steratore has since shared his thoughts on the game’s biggest talking points. 

Steratore agreed with the lack of a flag for what many thought was a pass interference on the Broncos. 

“I support the decision to not flag Denver on the fade route,” he wrote in a tweet. “Is there contact? Sure, but it’s a play on to me.”

Gene Steratore Addresses The Biggest Call In The Bills-Broncos Game

Steratore also addressed the highly controversial interception that may or may not have been a catch. He felt there should have been at least more transparency from the refs. 

“The interception is a wild play, with a lot going on. Seeing it full speed, I thought it was an interception and would’ve ruled it that way if I was on the field. My perspective on it is that Cooks lost the ball as soon as his body hit the ground. In my opinion, if there was no defender near him and he lost the ball when he hit the ground, the ruling would’ve been incomplete.”

“I would have liked to see the game stopped for a more formal review, with an announcement from the referee on exactly how they ruled,” he added. 

As for the other PIs called against the Bills, he only agreed with the second one. 

“I didn’t think this was a foul. It was, to me, the same play that happened the drive before with Denver and didn’t warrant a flag,” he said of the first. “Noting that on that play there was a flag for Roughing the Passer too, so Denver still would’ve got a first down.“

Steratore says the second PI was “Clearly correct and pass interference.”

The officiating in the Bills-Broncos game will likely dominate the headlines long after the Super Bowl. Some have suggested that we could see a rule change specific to the interception by next season.