National Football League

Bengals, Raiders stage thriller, but official's whistle steals show

Updated Jan. 15, 2022 10:29 p.m. ET

To say that the NFL's Super Wild Card Weekend got off to a wild start would be an understatement.

The Cincinnati Bengals and Las Vegas Raiders provided a thriller of a game, with the final 26-19 result not being decided until the final seconds of the game. Not only was it a thrilling finish, but it was a bit of history for the Bengals, who ended a 31-year playoff drought in the process.

But the bulk of the conversation surrounding the game wasn't about how hard both teams fought in a playoff battle, but about how the referees made their presence felt negatively on Saturday afternoon.

A series of controversial calls were made by the officials throughout the game, none more than one that came on a Joe Burrow touchdown pass in the second quarter that gave the Bengals a 20-6 lead.

With Burrow rolling out towards the sideline, he released the ball towards the back of the end zone for a completion to wide receiver Tyler Boyd.

But there was one issue. The whistle was blown by one of the officials while the ball was in the air, causing Raiders defenders to stop in the middle of the play and leaving Boyd wide open for the touchdown.

It's unclear whether the inadvertent whistle impacted the play, but by rule, the touchdown should not have stood. The play was not blown dead or wiped away, however, preserving the touchdown for the Bengals.

That play stood out amongst a host of others that were left in the hands of the officials and ultimately questioned during the course of the game.

But some pointed out that letting the touchdown stand was the proper call. That's because the official who blew the whistle might have thought Burrow stepped out of bounds on the play — when he clearly did not.

After the game, NFL Senior VP of Officiating Walt Anderson said that the officials determined that the whistle blew after the touchdown was caught, but that erroneous whistles aren't reviewable anyway.

Either way, that play led to plenty of chatter on social media about the officiating — whether it affected the outcome or not — an unfortunate impact on what was an otherwise thrilling game.