During Sunday afternoon’s matchup between the Baltimore Ravens and the Buffalo Bills, the referees overlooked a clear penalty that should have been called on the Bills. As highlighted by Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Buffalo Bills offensive lineman O’Cyrus Torrence should have received a penalty for attempting to pull running back James Cook into the end zone.
While pushing a player from behind is permissible – similar to the Philadelphia Eagles’ iconic “tush push” – Florio emphasizes that the rules explicitly prohibit pulling, stating that “no offensive player may pull a runner in any direction at any time.” This infraction was evident in the second quarter of the game, yet no penalty was assessed. “It’s now well known that pushing a runner is allowed in the NFL. Pulling of the man with the ball, however, is not,” Florio wrote for Pro Football Talk. “That didn’t stop Bills guard O’Cyrus Torrence from trying to pull running back James Cook into the end zone last night in Buffalo.”
With just over nine minutes left in the first half and the score tied at seven, quarterback Josh Allen handed the ball to Cook on first and goal from the eight. Near the goal line, Torrence initially pushed Cook before trying to pull him across. This occurred directly in front of line judge Greg Bradley, yet no flag was thrown. A penalty should have been imposed, which would have made it much more challenging for the Bills to score a touchdown. Instead, the Bills scored on the very next play thanks to a Josh Allen quarterback run.
The Bills ultimately secured a narrow victory, finishing the game at 27-25 – a contest where every point and every yard were crucial.
