A curious situation causes a stir at the AFC Championship Game between the Denver Broncos and the New England Patriots. First, Jarrett Stidham makes a costly mistake, then the referees mess up the New England Patriots’ touchdown – at least for the time being.

Wild scenes at the AFC Championship Game between the Denver Broncos and the New England Patriots in the NFL!

With just over three minutes remaining in the second quarter, the Broncos, led by backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham, were leading 7-0. But then Stidham made a costly mistake: not far from his own end zone, the quarterback came under pressure with the football in his hands.

He scrambled a few yards backward and had the ball knocked out of his hand by a charging Patriots defender.

The football flew almost parallel to the line of scrimmage, was then picked up off the ground by the Patriots and carried into the Broncos’ end zone.

Touchdown Patriots? No way! Because almost wilder than Stidham’s fumble was the referees’ decision.

NFL Playoffs: First a referee’s mistake, then Patriots jubilation after all

They blew the whistle on the play immediately after the Patriots took possession of the ball. The decision: backward pass, possession for the Patriots, but at the location of the turnover. So no touchdown! According to the rulebook, the play was actually still alive. The touchdown should have counted, but after the referees had already blown the whistle on the play, that was no longer possible. Patriots coach Mike Vrabel was furious.

At least the Patriots got their points a little later. On the next play, quarterback Drake Maye faked a pass and then ran unchallenged into the end zone for a temporary 7-7 tie.