While the divisional round is over, a controversial call in the Bills vs. Broncos playoff game has the NFL world divided. 

An X user voiced out that the Buffalo Bills should have won the ball, and NFL legend Terrell Owens agreed.

"10000000% The @BuffaloBills got straight HOSED by the @NFLOfficiating !!! I swear I feel so bad for the Bills organization for what they’ve had to endure over the years but to have the refs to make that decision is not only unbelievable but unacceptable. These refs may need to be investigated," read the tweet by Owens.

What actually happened? On a crucial overtime 3rd-and-11, Allen threw a pass to wide receiver Brandin Cooks in the end zone. Now the Bills' WR leaped, and it looked like he secured the ball as he went to the ground. But Bronocs Ja’Quan McMillian ripped it away as Cooks hit the turf.

Officials ruled the play an interception, deciding Cooks did not complete the process of a catch. Former Bills head coach Sean McDermott publicly questioned the ruling, and later, referee Carl Cheffers cleared things as well.

“The receiver has to complete the process of a catch. He was going to the ground as part of the process of the catch and he lost possession of the ball when he hit the ground. The defender gained possession of it at that point. The defender was the one who completed the process of the catch, so the defender was awarded the ball.”

But the NFL world is still up for debate. One side says Cooks didn’t complete the catch through the ground, while the other argues he clearly had possession before McMillian took it away. Even Joe Burrow broke his silence on it.

Joe Burrow Stood in Support of the Controversial Call In the Bills vs Broncos Game

Bengals' QB Joe Burrow could not hold back himself with the ongoing debate over the call and voiced out in support of it through his first-ever X post since April 2024.

"The amount of ppl that don’t understand what a catch is in the rule book flabbergasts me. And it’s not the officials. The two plays yesterday were not difficult calls, and they got them both right."

He talked about a similar incident that happened in the Bears vs Rams game. The officials ruled a pass to Davante Adams a completed catch, even though Bears DB Tyrique Stevenson appeared to strip the ball as Adams went to the ground.

What do you think of both these calls? Was the referee wrong to rule the pass an interception in the Bills vs Broncos game? What about the pass to Adams? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Written by

Reyansh Dubey

Edited by

Oajaswini Prabhu