As you might have heard, the Buffalo Bills lost a heartbreaking playoff game to the Houston Texans. There are plenty of fingers being pointed, most of them in the right direction even. But, while I don’t think the officials had a perfect game, one controversial no-call doesn’t deserve the blame it’s getting. Let’s examine the delay of game penalty that wasn’t called on a critical 3rd-and-18 in overtime.
Unlike the last time I broke out the NFL Rulebook, this one is cut and dry. Here you go:
“It is a delay of the game if the ball is not put in play by a snap within 40 seconds after the start of the play clock.