LOOK: Richard Sherman's cheap shot on Bills kicker sparks chaos on field
Yet again, there's an officiating controversy in Seattle on 'Monday Night Football'
By
Will Brinson
•
2 min read
If you're a Buffalo Bills fan you're absolutely irate about the way Monday night's first half in Seattle ended, because the Bills got totally hosed by the referees on an attempted field goal to close out the first half.
The biggest problem was Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman taking out Bills kicker Dan Carpenter on an attempted blocked field goal.
Sherman went low at Carpenter's knee while swiping at the ball with his left hand. The officiating crew didn't whistle him for a late hit, but he was offside, so the Bills got 5 yards on the play.
List of players you are allowed to illegally hit with no repercussion: Cam Newton. Kickers. #BUFvsSEA#Seahawkspic.twitter.com/iVKYHV5D4w
— John Breech (@johnbreech) November 8, 2016
No one is saying Sherman intended to go after Carpenter's knee, but it's impossible to believe the penalty could be just 5 yards. Buffalo should have gotten a 15-yard penalty and another look at the kick.
Then things got weird.
The referees announced, because Carpenter was examined by the trainers, he had to leave the field. No, really.
"The offsides penalty will be enforced for No. 25," Walt Anderson announced. "The trainers came on the field to attend to kicker No. 2. This will be a charged fourth timeout for Buffalo. No. 2 will have to leave the game."
At this point, Rex Ryan lost his bleeping mind and probably sent a bunch of ESPN executives into an FCC-induced coma. Everyone started freaking out and began to leave the field.
Things got so hectic Walt Anderson had to shout "The half is not over! The half is not over, there's three seconds on the clock!"
Don't usually tweet during games but it was almost a riot down here on the field at end of half. Walt Anderson totally lost control of game
— Sal Capaccio 🏈 (@SalSports) November 8, 2016
So the Bills spiked the ball, except it wasn't even Tyrod Taylor out there to spike. It was running back Jonathan Williams. I'm telling you, it got weird.
The Bills then attempted to kick the field goal 5 yards in front of their initial spot and Carpenter buried it. However, before the kick got off, they were whistled for delay of game.
"They took too much time??!?" Sean McDonough wondered. "Is that possible? Oh my goodness."
"This is unbelievable," Jon Gruden muttered in disgust.
It was impossible to kick, though, because the officials were all over the ball while they were trying to kick.
The official was still over the ball when the play clock expired. Delay of game on the offense! pic.twitter.com/OylelWEfMi
— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) November 8, 2016
At the end of the day Buffalo attempted a 54-yard field goal, which was somehow a yard behind where they started when Sherman went offside.
The refs screwed up it sure seems like, and a tweet from NFL VP of officiating Dean Blandino confirms as much.
At the end of the half in #BUFvsSEA its unnecessary roughness for hitting the kicker. Foul means he can stay in the game.
— Dean Blandino (@DeanBlandino) November 8, 2016
The play-by-play is something else to behold.
Things always get weird in prime time in Seattle.
