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Bills wide receiver Brandin Cooks didn’t hold back while addressing the controversial interception that helped knocked Buffalo out of the playoffs in Sunday’s Divisional Round loss to the Broncos.
During a Thursday appearance on “Good Morning Football,” Cooks explained that it was a “no brainer” that he completed a catch in overtime that would’ve given the Bills a potential game-winning field goal attempt — although it was ruled an interception by cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian.
“At the end of the day, it was a catch,” Cooks said. “Not just what it looked like, but what it felt like.
“You see examples throughout the league all year and previous years, being like, ‘Wait a minute, that’s a catch.’ This is a no-brainer that this was a catch.”
Multiple Bills players took to social media to declare they believed it was a catch by Cooks in Buffalo’s eventual 33-30 overtime loss.
McMillian explained his perspective after the Broncos won to set up a clash with the Patriots in the conference championship Sunday.
“He had a step on me, and I just fought through the hands and finished the play,” he said. “He actually had the ball coming down, and once I had my hand on the ball, I was able to take it from him. I fell on top of him and just held the ball up and showed the fans some love.”
Officials did not pause the game to review the call, as challenges aren’t allowed in overtime. It was looked at by league replay officials in New York, per ESPN.
Since-fired Bills coach Sean McDermott explained that he had called a timeout after the play because it was “too big of a play in a play that decided the game,” adding that he was “bothered” the play wasn’t slowed down for review.
Referee Carl Cheffers explained in a pool report that McMillian was awarded the ball because he completed the catch.
“The receiver has to complete the process of a catch,” Cheffers said. “He was going to the ground as part of the process of the catch and he lost possession of the ball when he hit the ground.
“The defender gained possession of it at that point. The defender is the one that completed the process of the catch, so the defender was awarded the ball.”
The pivotal interception played a large role in the Bills being sent home, and ultimately led to the Monday firing of McDermott after nine seasons.
Meanwhile, Bills general manager Brandon Beane was promoted to the president of football operations and will lead the search for their next head coach.
During a headline-making press conference Wednesday, Beane shut down a narrative that he fired McDermott as a “power play” move.
Owner Terry Pegula said that the decision to fire McDermott was “based on the results of our game in Denver.”
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