While the Buffalo Bills may have recovered quickly from a slow start to their AFC Divisional game against the mighty Baltimore Ravens, there was a moment in the first half of the game that set the tone for the officiating to come during the entire half.
Refs cannot make themselves the star of any game, but that's exactly what began to happen in the highly anticipated contest between the two AFC powerhouses. Unfortunately, that pattern started to emerge after an extremely questionable call against Buffalo and one of their best tackles, Dion Dawkins.
Terrible call on Dion Dawkins almost killed the Bills momentum
Dawkins was blocking for Josh Allen in the first quarter of the game against the Ravens, and the offensive line held up long enough to land the Bills close to a first down. This drive came just moments after a turnover forced on the Ravens and Lamar Jackson courtesy Taylor Rapp.
However, the big gain was immediately called back as the refs in the game called a hold on Dawkins. The issue with that call? It was nowhere near a hold.
That's not a penalty pic.twitter.com/RVtUfuXSu4
— CJ Fogler 🫡 (@cjzero) January 20, 2025
As anyone could see here, Dawkins pancaked the defender on this pressure. He stuck his arm down to basically keep him from getting back up, but he didn't force him back down or hold him to the ground. In fact, by the time Dawkins is ensuring the defender is staying down by standing over him, Allen already had the ball out of his hand.
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Dawkins was sure to talk to the referee after the call to let them know that he didn't feel it was a penalty, and after that penalty was called, the Bills drive completely stalled. So, a huge interception led to zero points. Thankfully, the Buffalo defense held up on the next Baltimore possession and kep them to just three points, but it was nearly a huge 7 point gain for the Bills without that call.
Calls can be 50-50 at times, but the entire first half of the AFC Divisional game was called very strangely. Between that holding call, nothing called on the Ravens for unsportsmanlike conduct soon after, and even a very questionable pass interference call that benefitted Buffalo in the second quarter, it just seemed like the officials were not prepared for this physical game.
Again, though, the Bills managed to avenge that call in the first half, and Dawkins didn't need to hold a grudge against the referee for too long.