The NFL straight up admitted it blew a huge penalty call during the Patriots’ recent win over the Bills, and seriously, this isn’t just a “tough break,” it’s the kind of screw-up that could have completely flipped the outcome. This wasn’t some early-game ticky-tack call either; this was late, super late, in the fourth quarter when everything was on the line.
The Game-Changing Mistake That Should Have Never Happened
Picture this: It’s 3rd-and-10, only 55 seconds left on the clock in the fourth quarter. The Patriots’ quarterback Drake Maye hits tight end Hunter Henry for a 12-yard catch. That play? It moved the chains. It kept the drive alive. And it helped the Patriots lock up the AFC East win. But according to the league itself, there was a missed penalty right there, a “huge penalty” they said. How does that even happen at such a critical moment? We’re talking about a play that directly influenced which team walked away with a W and clinched their spot. That’s just unacceptable, especially when the stakes are this high.
Patriots’ Injury Woes Just Piling Up
While the league is busy admitting its blunders, the Patriots are also dealing with some serious injury headaches, particularly on their offensive line. Will Campbell, an offensive lineman, went down with a knee sprain in the first half of their 45-17 win against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. Reports say he’s “likely” going to miss some time, and honestly, that’s rough. Rhamondre Stevenson was tackled right into Campbell’s knee, and get this, it’s the *same leg* where he tore his MCL last season. Mark Daniels from MassLive even tweeted that the medical staff was all over Campbell’s right knee, and he had to be helped off the field. Rookie Caleb Lomu, a first-round pick from April, had to step in at left tackle, playing 47 snaps in Campbell’s place.
But it’s not just Campbell. The Raiders game was a bloodbath for the Patriots, with Tre’Veyon Henderson and Dre’Mont Jones also getting hurt and leaving the field. Lomu, to his credit, said he was ready to start no matter what, which is the kind of grit you want to see. Still, the depth chart is getting hammered. Lomu’s been playing backup right tackle, but he can slide over to left. This season has already seen them lose guards Mike Onwenu and Greg Van Roten. Now, with Campbell potentially out, they might have to yank Marcus Bryant off the injured reserve list just to fill spots. It’s a real mess up front for them right now.
With the NFL owning up to a game-changing error and the Patriots’ roster looking more like a M.A.S.H. unit every week, especially on the offensive line, things are getting wild in the AFC East. This admitted mistake casts a huge shadow over that Bills loss, and it’s a tough pill for any fan to swallow when the league itself says they dropped the ball.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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