In the NFL, it's never a good thing when an officiating crew is known by name, since that usually means they have a bad reputation; unfortunately for the Patriots, they're about to deal with one of the more controversial groups in their matchup with the Bills this weekend.
Seasoned veteran Bill Vinovich and his crew are set to call the game on Sunday; they were on hand for only one Patriots game last season, but they're coming off a controversial showing in last week's Sunday Night Football game between the Rams and the Broncos.
It was a back-and-forth battle between two of the top teams in their conference that came down to the wire, and the winner was ultimately determined by a penalty Vinovich's crew made during the Broncos' final drive.
Bo Nix threw an interception on a 3rd-and-6 play with 1:15 left in the game, but it was reversed, and the Rams were hit with a defensive pass interference call so bad that even the rules analyst on hand for NBC couldn't defend it.
The Broncos then moved to the 7-yard line and scored a touchdown to take a 4-point lead and eventually win the game.
NBC rules analyst Terry McAulay did not believe Rams CB Josh Wallace should have been flagged for pass interference, in what may have otherwise been an interception.
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 28, 2026
The Broncos went on to score what would serve as the game-winning TD. pic.twitter.com/A0YDJ8ZmZl
Because the Patriots need a win this weekend and have been mistake-laden up to this point, they'll need to play their best in Buffalo, as this officiating crew will not give them the benefit of the doubt.
The Patriots won't be getting any leniency from this week's officiating crew
The pressure to win this week is off the charts for the Patriots, while the Bills are just hoping to keep their undefeated streak going and their quarterback in the early MVP conversation.
They're lucky the game in Buffalo is happening so early in the season, on the heels of a Bills win that almost wasn't because of five turnovers against the Browns. But the countless mistakes the Patriots have made through three games, totaling 22 penalties for 149 yards, won't be acceptable on Sunday or help them steal a win in Western New York.
Vinovich's crew is a busy group, as they threw 20 flags in primetime last week, 18 of which were accepted, and 14 flags the week before.
Unfortunately, we don't have much to go on about how his group of referees calls Patriots games, since they were only on hand for one matchup last season, when they beat the Panthers 42-13. They threw just 14 flags in that game, seven of which were on the Patriots.
Regardless, they can't keep shooting themselves in the foot and creating more problems for the team by making careless mistakes or giving the Bills more opportunities.
That won't help them win, and the difference between a win and a loss this week could ultimately determine the fate of the rest of their season.
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