The Buffalo Bills survived an upset bid on the road on Saturday night from the Easton Stick-led Los Angeles Chargers 24–22, thanks to a late-game 29-yard field goal from Buffalo’s Tyler Bass.
However, earlier on that game-winning drive, it appeared that Bills quarterback Josh Allen connected with wide receiver Khalil Shakir for a 28-yard touchdown pass.
Big play by Khalil Shakir!#BUFvsLAC on Peacock
— NFL (@NFL) December 24, 2023
Also available on #NFLPlus https://t.co/eeNRIfK0VS pic.twitter.com/42B4JZJAOr
On third-and-4 from the Chargers 28-yard line, Allen took the shotgun snap, rolled out to his right and threw a dart to Shakir, who went to the ground at the 12 to catch the pass.
Los Angeles safety Jaylinn Hawkins sprinted over to try to initiate contact with Shakir while he was on the ground, but it appeared that Shakir got up off the ground prior to being touched and sprinted toward the end zone for a touchdown.
However, after a booth review, the officials determined that Shakir was down by contact at the 12. The Bills eventually settled for the decisive field goal.
NFL fans couldn’t believe the call was reversed. Here are some of the best reactions to the play from social media:
Don't see contact of the ball with ground, and no one touched him til he was standing up (knees up), so believe the play's still live.@CMC_22 had a moment like this last week: Lost footing with the ball, landed on forearm, stood up & ran without defense ever touching him.
— Tim Wood (@livecut) December 24, 2023
It looks like the defender literally had Khalil Shakir down by a pinky pic.twitter.com/PlesRID5x8
— Ben Brown 🌻 (@BenBrownPL) December 24, 2023
The Chargers probably should've let Khalil Shakir score a TD rather than tackle him
— Dalton Feely (@dfeely14) December 24, 2023
Bills are now very likely to try and run the clock out and kick a game winning FG attempt
Great job by Tirico/Collinsworth also discussing this real time pic.twitter.com/HtmUWokXCT
What a wild play. Khalil Shakir makes a catch near the goal line and it appeared the Chargers didn't touch him down in time. So he got up and made a guy miss and ran it into the end zone. Replay showed he was touched down. Bills 1st and 10 at the Chargers 13.
— Matt Parrino (@MattParrino) December 24, 2023
