NFL rules analyst defends quick review of controversial Broncos interception: 'Want to move the game along'

NFL rules expert Walt Anderson weighed successful connected the arguable interception ruling successful overtime of the Denver Broncos’ triumph implicit the Buffalo Bills connected Saturday night.

Broncos antiaircraft backmost Ja’Quan McMillian took the shot distant from Bills wide receiver Brandin Cooks connected a heavy walk from Josh Allen. It appeared that Cooks had travel down with the shot and that McMillian had taken it distant aft Cooks completed the catch. But NFL officials ruled that McMillian had intercepted the walk and created the turnover.

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Denver Broncos cornerback Ja'Quan McMillian (29) reacts aft intercepting a walk intended for Buffalo Bills wide receiver Brandin Cooks (18) during overtime of an NFL divisional circular playoff shot game, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, successful Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

Denver came down the tract and scored the game-winning tract extremity to beforehand to the AFC Championship Game.

Anderson appeared connected the NFL Network and explained that Cooks ne'er had implicit power of the shot arsenic helium deed the crushed and due to the fact that the shot was inactive escaped successful his arms, McMillian was capable to unafraid it for the interception.

He besides addressed the contented of wherefore determination was nary due mentation of the play. Head referee Carl Cheffers didn’t code the play to the assemblage oregon the TV audience. Anderson said replay adjunct and officials successful New York reviewed the play rapidly and made the call.

"Replay has each of these angles to instrumentality a look and spot ‘was the ruling connected the tract wrong, oregon was the ruling connected the tract correct?’" Anderson said. "If you tin corroborate that the ruling connected the tract is correct, they truly privation to determination the crippled along, and they don’t privation to person unnecessary stoppages."

BILLS DOOMED BY BIZARRE INTERCEPTION IN PLAYOFF LOSS TO BRONCOS

Denver Broncos cornerback Ja'Quan McMillian reacts aft intercepting a walk during overtime of an NFL divisional circular playoff shot game, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, successful Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

Bills caput manager Sean McDermott was irate implicit the process of however the telephone was confirmed. He wanted officials to instrumentality a agelong look astatine the play, which is wherefore helium said helium took a timeout aft the interception.

"It would look logical to me… that the caput authoritative would locomotion implicit and privation to spell and instrumentality a look astatine it, conscionable to marque definite that everybody from present who is successful the stadium to determination are connected the aforesaid page. That’s excessively large of a play, successful my estimation, and a play that decided the crippled perchance arsenic well, to not adjacent dilatory it down," McDermott said.

"It’s hard for maine to recognize wherefore it was ruled the mode it was ruled. If it is ruled that way, past wherefore wasn’t it slowed down conscionable to marque definite that we person this right? That would person made a batch of consciousness to me, to marque definite that we person this happening right. Because that’s a pivotal play successful the game. We person the shot astatine the 20, possibly kicking a game-winning tract extremity close there. So I’ll conscionable permission it astatine that."

But helium did not permission it astatine that. In fact, according to the Buffalo News, the manager called the outlet from the squad level and berated the officials adjacent more.

Buffalo Bills caput manager Sean McDermott reacts during the 2nd fractional of an NFL divisional circular playoff shot crippled against the Denver Broncos, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, successful Denver.  (AP Photo/RJ Sangosti)

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"That play is not adjacent close," helium told the outlet. "That's a drawback each the way. I sat successful my locker and I looked astatine it astir apt 20 times, and cipher tin person maine that that shot is not caught and successful possession of Buffalo."

Fox News’ Ryan Morik contributed to this report.

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