The NFL officiating crew may have dodged a flag. But they didn’t dodge the heat. And if the news of such happenings breaks before an important game, fans fume. The Bills faced such a situation just before their AFC championship game. And their DT Ed Oliver is in the center of it.

Oliver has to pay a hefty price all of a sudden. The catch? The game officials overlooked the lapse and did not throw a flag. And this has left fans and players baffled about the inconsistency around officiating.

Oliver is hit with a $16,883 fine. The league has deemed it an “unnecessary roughness” penalty. So, what did actually happen? Oliver tackled Lamar Jackson midway through the second quarter during the Bills’ AFC divisional round clash with the Ravens. The league has now labeled the play a “hip-drop tackle,” though it seemed routine—until Saturday. Until the league dished out its hefty punishment. And this occurrence only adds to the list of the NFL’s puzzling approach to on-field discipline. But how’s it going for other teams?

The NFL fined Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey $45,020 for helmet-to-helmet contact with Josh Allen. However, Humphrey’s penalty came on a flagged play, unlike Oliver’s incident. The contrast between flagged and post-game fines only deepens the confusion surrounding the league’s policies.

Podcaster Kevin Oestreicher summed up the outrage: “Bills DL Ed Oliver was fined $16,883 for a hip drop tackle on Ravens QB Lamar Jackson. No flag was thrown.” Fans echo similar sentiments. They slammed the NFL for their lack of consistency.

The fine wasn’t a first for Oliver. He racked up over $70,000 in penalties last season. This includes $21,855 for unnecessary roughness against the Giants. However, he has shown far more discipline this season. Hence, this call seems even harder to swallow for the fans.

Fan fury over Oliver’s call: “Throw the flag in the game”

Fans didn’t hold back their opinions. Many took to X to voice their frustrations. One fan called the fine “pathetic.” He added, “League sacrifices the product of the game all season w Replay timeouts & don’t give this a second look.”

Others pointed out the NFL’s uneven treatment of Jackson. “Surprised he was even fined. They never flag those penalties against Lamar,” wrote another. The sentiment was echoed by a fan who noted the inconsistency: “Hip drop + late hit out of bounds and no flag says a lot about that game.” The game was really intense, with scores shifting to both sides at every play.

Several fans turned their anger toward the officiating crew. “These refs need to get fined as well and face suspensions,” one suggested. Another sarcastically quipped, “The fine doesn’t mean sh– to me. Throw the flag in the games when there’s an obvious penalty.” That’s true, but they need to carry on.

Ed Oliver remains focused on the upcoming AFC Championship game against the Chiefs despite the controversy. “They’re a different team in playoffs, just in the mindset and intensity,” he said earlier this week. His teammates echoed his sentiments. And this includes Allen. They emphasized the need for a collective effort to overcome a team that has consistently bested them in postseason matchups.

The Bills are aiming to break their playoff curse against Kansas City. But the cloud of the fine hangs heavy over the locker room. The league’s inconsistency isn’t just frustrating fans. It’s disrupting the focus of teams chasing a championship. Will Oliver’s fine be the last distraction the Bills face this season, or will it just be the start of a more chaotic journey ahead? Fans are eager to find out.