NFL explains decision to uphold controversial play in Colts-Bills game

January 09, 2021 - 5:11pm

Indianapolis Colts receiver Zach Pascal was called down on the play, but after initial look could possibly have not given himself up as a runner. The play is reviewed, the call stood that Pascal was down and the Colts continued to have possession.

The end of the first wild-card game of the NFL playoffs featured a bit of controversy.

With less than a minute left in the fourth quarter in Buffalo with the home-team Bills leading by three points, the Indianapolis Colts were driving with hopes of tying the game or taking the lead.

Colts quarterback Philip Rivers found wide receiver Zach Pascal on fourth-and-10 and appeared to extend the Colts’ drive. However, Pascal appeared to fumble the ball after getting up off the ground before being touched by a defender and the Bills made a clear recovery.

However, after a long review, the officials upheld the ruling on the field that Pascal was down by contact before the fumble. The reaction around the football world was one of shock, but the NFL says there “was no clear and obvious visual evidence to overturn the ruling” and so it stood.

In #INDvsBUF, the ruling on the field is that the runner was down by contact. The was no clear and obvious visual evidence to overturn the ruling, so it stands. pic.twitter.com/1QmUW2Sjcj

— NFL Officiating (@NFLOfficiating) January 9, 2021

The play became an afterthought once the Bills knocked down Rivers’ Hail Mary attempt as the fourth quarter came to an end, but there are still plenty of questions being asked after a questionable ruling to kick off the post-season.

[relatedlinks]