UPDATE (12:05 a.m. ET): The crazy ending to the first half ended up costing the Buffalo Bills.
The Bills could have made a field goal at the end of the half Monday night, but a controversial no-call on Richard Sherman and a delay of game resulted in an ugly kick from Dan Carpenter.
That proved especially costly because the Bills had the ball in the red zone in the final minute down by six points. They ultimately couldn’t find the end zone, but they wouldn’t have needed to if they got the field goal earlier.
So the Seattle Seahawks dodged a bullet to win 31-25. Will the same happen Sunday night against the New England Patriots?
ORIGINAL STORY: Even when we finally get a good, entertaining game in the NFL, it all goes to hell before halftime.
The Buffalo Bills marched down the field to get into field-goal range for kicker Dan Carpenter, but Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman made sure the kick never went through the uprights by jumping offside and tackling Carpenter while he tried to kick.
That’s clearly a personal foul, right? Well, it probably should have been, but only offside was called.
There was a bigger problem for Buffalo, though. Carpenter had to be attended to by medical personnel, so he had to come off for a play. With just seconds left, the Bills spiked the ball to set up another shot for Carpenter.
But they failed to snap the ball in time, although the official appeared to be over the ball when the play clock hit zero.
The penalty moved the Bills back five yards, and Carpenter finally missed the field-goal attempt that counted to send the Seahawks into the half with a 28-17 lead.
Wow.
Thumbnail photo via Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports Images
