The Denver Broncos’ overtime win against the Buffalo Bills on Saturday should have been decided well before a Ja’Quan McMillian interception and several controversial penalties.
McMillian ripped the ball away from Brandin Cooks on a deep pass from Bills quarterback Josh Allen, a play that left Buffalo coach Sean McDermott exasperated. Denver then benefitted from a pair of defensive pass interference penalties that helped set up a game-winning field goal.
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None of those plays would have happened, though, had officials correctly spotted the Bills holding in their own end zone. That should have resulted in a game-winning safety for the Broncos.
«There’s actually a hold in the end zone,» Denver coach Sean Payton noted after a 33-30 win. «That would’ve been the first time the game would’ve ended with a safety.»
The Bills fans can complain all they want, but if this obvious call for holding ( look at the bills arm around the Broncos neck) it would have been a safety and 2 points for the Broncos. The game would have been over… #Broncos pic.twitter.com/1NMRwnG1u8
— James Barry (@JamesMBarry) January 18, 2026
Buffalo also appeared to get away with a key hold on the team’s game-tying drive that sent the contest to overtime:
I thought the Bills got away with a hold on the third-and-10 before the game-tying field goal. Jonathon Cooper had strip sack potential. pic.twitter.com/tgdsvfuO1b
— Michael Hurley (@michaelFhurley) January 18, 2026
As for the two DPI fouls on the game-winning drive: the first one was harsh, but Joey Bosa would have been penalized for roughing the passer on the same play, which would have been only a two-yard difference from the 17-yard DPI foul. The second penalty was blatant as Tre’Davious White started tackling Marvin Mims before the ball arrived.
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Had officials spotted the hold in the end zone, the McMillian interception and two DPI penalties never would have happened — and quarterback Bo Nix would not have suffered a season-ending ankle injury on the Broncos’ game-winning drive. Officiating was not perfect on Saturday, but the missed calls ultimately hurt Denver more than Buffalo.
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This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: NFL news: Officials missed hold that would have given Broncos safety
