"No flag is wild" - Pat McAfee blasts NFL referees for not calling hip drop tackle penalty after Lamar Jackson gets brutally tackled
Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens had a nightmarish first half against Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills in their divisional round clash at Highmark Stadium. The Ravens quarterback committed two egregious errors and turned the ball over.
They had opportunities to make up for his mistakes but failed to capitalize. However, the situation could have been a lot worse for the Ravens had Jackson not been fortunate enough to escape a severe injury after a late hit from defensive tackle Ed Oliver.
On a 1st-and-10 play, the quarterback scrambled for 11 yards and was running out of bounds when the Bills defender tackled him from behind and landed on his ankle. Jackson did not suffer an injury but the Ravens players on the sideline were perplexed about the referee not throwing a flag for Oliver's late hit and hip-drop tackle.
Retired punter and ESPN analyst Pat McAfee was also astonished that the Bills' defensive end wasn't penalized. He posted:
"Hip drop tackle all the way in the bench on the probable MVP.. No flag is wild THEY’RE REALLY LETTIN ‘EM PLAY AHT THERE!"
Three plays later, Jackson threw a 42-yard bomb to wide receiver Rashod Bateman, giving the Ravens 1st-and-goal from the one-yard line. But they couldn't punch the ball in and had to settle for a field goal, which they'd regret immediately, as the Bills scored a touchdown on the ensuing drive to take an 11-point lead into halftime.
Pat McAfee believed Lamar Jackson and the Ravens would win the Super Bowl
Following the Bills' thrilling win, Pat McAfee revealed that Lamar Jackson and the Ravens were his pick to hoist the Lombardi Trophy at the Caesars Superdome on February 8th. He posted:
"I thought this was the year for The Ravens.. they have played fantastic I forgot about this Bills Wagon… at home.. DAWGS EVERYWHERE"
Baltimore will also believe they threw the game with their errors and cost themselves a golden opportunity to win the Super Bowl. They'll now have to simmer in the disappointment of missing out on a chance to cap off a stellar season with a championship ring before commencing their preparation for the 2025 campaign.