The TNF game between the Falcons and the Buccaneers emerged as a perfect thriller, with the Falcons scripting a comeback 36-30 win in overtime. While Kirk Cousins stole the limelight with 509 yards and 4 touchdowns, the referees once again came under fire for some questionable calls.
Advertisement
Unfortunately, this time it was the Buccaneers who suffered. The refs missed a crucial late 4th-quarter facemask call by the Falcons on Bucky Irving. Instead, they called it for holding, which pushed the Bucs out of field goal range.
Refs missed a late 4th quarter facemask by the Falcons on Bucky Irving, called just holding instead and pushed the Bucs out of field goal/ending the game range
This forced them to punt with a 3 point lead and allowed ATL to tie it #TBvsATL pic.twitter.com/czg6mc1Utc
— Bad Sports Refs (@BadSportsRefs) October 4, 2024
This controversial call forced the Buccaneers to punt with a three-point lead, allowing the Falcons to tie the game with a field goal and push it into overtime. Without the call, the Falcons would have needed a touchdown to win, giving the Buccaneers a significant advantage.
The incident occurred with 1:39 left in the game, with the Buccaneers leading 30-27. Hence, it is quite evident how the call twisted the game in the Falcons’ favor.
Interestingly, the Falcons made a stunning comeback in the second half and were constantly moving the ball around the Buccaneers’ end zone. Reacting to the call, seasoned NFL journalist Mike Florio wrote:
“This one is easy. Put it at the top of the list for the offseason rule changes. Facemask fouls become subject to replay assistance and replay review. It’s long overdue.”
Meanwhile, the 2024 NFL season has been marred by officiating errors, with refs hesitant to use replay options due to time constraints, leading to significant impacts on the games.
This latest incident underscores the need to increase the use of technology to assist referees in making accurate decisions.
