Officiating was far from the only reason why the Dallas Cowboys lost to the Buffalo Bills in blowout fashion on Sunday, but it certainly didn't help them.
Dallas lost 48 yards on five penalties, compared to Buffalo's 15 yards on just one flag. Granted, it's not entirely unexpected as the Cowboys are the most-penalized team in the league this season with 102 flags on the season, but that is not something to be proud of by any means.
While no Cowboy was happy with the penalties they took on Sunday, one was particularly frustrated. After the game, Dallas safety Jayron Kearse called out the officials for an unnecessary roughness penalty he drew for a hit on Buffalo receiver Khalil Shakir.
"Didn’t lower head/shoulder, didn’t make contact with crown of my helmet. What am I supposed to do @NFLOfficiating," Kearse wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Any penalty is costly, but this one was particularly so. The play was a second-and-19, so instead of facing a third-and-forever, the Bills got a free first down and punched it into the end zone a few plays later. To make matters worse, the Cowboys thought they had a turnover on a strip sack of Josh Allen, but the play was blown dead and Dallas opted not to challenge.
It's easy to understand why Kearse is frustrated, as the call is debatable and may have gone the other way if Shakir managed to hold on. However, the fact that he left his feet to deliver the hit certainly doesn't help his case.
Regardless of whether or not the penalty was warranted, the Cowboys must play cleaner football if they want to make a run in the playoffs.
More must-reads:
- Insider suggests four-time Pro Bowl option for Steelers if Aaron Rodgers doesn't sign
- 49ers sign star TE to four-year extension
- The 'No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft' quiz
- The best selection each NFL team made in the 2025 draft
- Packers Discussing Reconciliation With CB Jaire Alexander To Keep Him In 2025