Bill Belichick seeks coaches’ challenges under two minutes originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Sunday’s crazy Vikings-Bills game brought up a topic that Bill Belichick is passionate about.
Late in regulation, Buffalo wideout Gabe Davis made a 20-yard catch near the sideline. The ball hit the ground and should not have been ruled a catch, but the Bills got their next play off without a review from the officials. Walt Anderson, NFL senior vice president of officiating, admitted after the game that the play should have been reviewed and ultimately ruled incomplete.
Get Boston local news, weather forecasts, lifestyle and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Boston’s newsletters.
Because the play happened so late in the fourth quarter, Minnesota’s Kevin O’Connell – a former Belichick draft pick – was unable to throw the challenge flag. Head coaches are not allowed to challenge any plays with less than two minutes remaining in either half, so it was entirely up to the officials to decide if Davis’ catch should be reviewed.
For Belichick, the situation was evidence that change is needed.
“Provided the team has a challenge, they should have the opportunity to challenge really any play,” Belichick told reporters on Monday (via ESPN). “I'm on record on that.”
Local
In-depth news coverage of the Greater Boston Area.
Part of the reason the NFL doesn’t allow for challenges under two minutes is clock manipulation from the coaches. However, Belichick believes the inability to challenge in those situations could swing a game entirely.
“I get forward progress, and things like that, that you can't challenge. I'm not talking about that,” Belichick said on WEEI. “I'm saying not having the ability to challenge a play that could impact the outcome of the game -- even calls like holding and pass interference and things like that -- I don't see why those plays can't be reviewed [by a coach's challenge].”
The Vikings were able to overcome the officiating gaffe and pulled off an overtime upset over the Bills, who are now in third place in a loaded AFC East.
As for when Belichick could foresee changes to the rules, he recognizes that – like reviews with less than two minutes remaining – it’s out of his hands.
“The rules are the rules,” he said. “The competition committee and the league vote on those rules. Whatever they are, that's what they are.”
