Terry McAulay rips refs for missing two critical calls on Bengals' game-ending play vs. Ravens

The Ravens and Bengals game on Thursday Night Football was an absolute classic. And it came down to the wire, with the Cincinnati Bengals trying to go for a two-point conversion attempt to win the game in regulation and avoid overtime. But unfortunately for the Bengals, there was controversy on the two-point conversion, as there appeared to be a missed holding penalty on Ravens linebacker Trenton Simpson.

Controversy on Bengals game-ending play vs. Ravens

He appeared to be holding Bengals tight end Tanner Hudson, preventing him from running his route.

Terry McAulay felt the Ravens got away with 2 penalties on the game-deciding 2-point attempt.

"It was clearly defensive holding…and that does look like forceable contact to the head of the quarterback," McAulay.

"Too many games end this way. They just do," Al Michaels. pic.twitter.com/Pl7WqjdWr6

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 8, 2024

Then on the same play, there was also forcible contact to Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow’s head in the video above, which Terry McAulay also explained. It would have been a roughing the passer penalty on the Ravens but was not called by the officiating crew.

“Yeah, it was clearly defensive holding before the pass was in flight, that should have been called. And that does look like forcible contact to the head of the quarterback. That’s roughing the passer and should have been called,” McAulay explained on the Amazon Prime broadcast on Thursday night.

The Ravens prevailed in a thriller, 35-34. It was quite the treat on Thursday Night Football for fans across the league. Surely, Bengals fans will be furious, but there was some electrifying football displayed by superstar wideout Ja’Marr Chase.

He became the first player in NFL history with multiple career games with 250 receiving yards and over two receiving touchdowns. On Thursday Night Football, he finished with 11 catches for 264 yards and three touchdowns, once again cementing himself as one of the best wideouts in league history.

Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow finished the night completing 34 of his 56 passes for 428 passing yards, while tossing in four touchdowns with no interceptions. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson had an excellent game as well, completing 25 of his 33 passes for 290 passing yards, while tossing in four touchdowns and no interceptions. As a runner, he had seven carries for 33 yards.

Ravens wideout Tylan Wallace had another surprise performance, erupting for three catches for 115 receiving yards and a touchdown, including an 84-yard touchdown where he somehow managed to tiptoe down the sideline.

On3’s John Jamison also contributed to this article.