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Your Denver Broncos laid an egg large enough to contain a T-Rex in a 26-16 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, September 24. But on Twitter, much of the conversation about the squad's first road defeat of the season, following home wins over the Los Angeles Chargers and Dallas Cowboys, revolved around a jaw-dropping unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty against superstar Von Miller during the fourth quarter of the contest, when the outcome had still not been determined. See our picks for the twenty most memorable tweets here.
To set the scene: Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor threw a third-down incompletion that went awry in large part because he knew Miller was about to drill him, which he did. The result of the play meant the Bills would have to punt to the Broncos, who were down by a single touchdown and would have had plenty of time to drive the length of the field. But, no: An official threw a flag against Von for acting as if he was going to help Taylor to his feet before pulling his hand away like a middle-schooler denying a high-five.
This action was clearly a joke, and Miller wasn't the only one who laughed at it: Cameras caught Taylor chuckling, too. But the refs weren't amused, and their punishment led directly to a Bills field goal that put the game out of reach.
Of course, the odds that Denver would have driven to a tying score were slim, particularly given the mediocrity displayed by Broncos quarterback Trevor Siemian in the second half; his two astonishingly embarrassing interceptions proved that sports-radio chatter about him deserving a giant, and immediate, contract extension was incredibly premature. Moreover, plenty of tweeters blamed Miller for this gaffe, as if he could have foreseen the bizarre ruling.
Not me. I remain incredulous over the call — and I'm not alone. Continue to count down proof, complete with GIFs of the moment in question.
Number 20:
NFL so soft for that Von Miller penalty grow the fuck up
— Best Defense 2-1 (@Thotcho) September 25, 2017
Number 19:
How the fuck is this a penalty lmaoo RT @NFLRT: Von Miller got a flag for pulling the oldest trick in the bookpic.twitter.com/uxBFrbBKsg
— Darealyst Clark (@Knownasvic) September 24, 2017
Number 18:
LOL at that Von Miller penalty. Fuck the NFL man.
— abS (@absdadon) September 24, 2017
Number 17:
Still so appalled that Von Miller got an unsportsmanlike penalty for a joke today #brutal
— Sam Goldsmith (@sgoldsmith94) September 25, 2017
Number 16:
this unsportsmanlike penalty call on @VonMiller is such a load of crap - Miller is known to joke around and have fun, no ill intent #Desoto https://t.co/i2jBKZ5BRW
— Shelby Mast (@BracketWAG) September 24, 2017
Number 15:
Just fucking sad Von Miller penalty was obviously a joke between him and Tyrod but its going to most likely cost them the game ........ wtf
— BrooklynBlazed (@BrooklynBlazed) September 24, 2017
Number 14:
.@NFL what a joke this league has become. That is a penalty on Von Miller?? For what?? Having fun?? Ridiculous.
— Michael Rourke (@MRourkeDA) September 24, 2017
Number 13:
Penalties for joke not #Kneeling?
— Kimberly (@KKMoriconi) September 25, 2017
Von Miller has a right to be livid after one of the worst penalty calls you'll see https://t.co/fNNrdUAOV3
Number 12:
I guarantee Tyrod Taylor thought this penalty was as stupid as Von Miller did https://t.co/Lbo12ln0LG
— Ryne Reynolds (@Reen_57) September 24, 2017
Number 11:
Dumbest penalty on Von Miller!!! They were joking and laughing. So fn stupid. #DENvsBUF
— Gidg333 (@GretchenDfwm) September 24, 2017
Number 10:
I just can't figure out the Von Miller penalty today. I have never seen such bullshit, & I'm a #Lions fan.
— Anthony (@76ripper) September 25, 2017
Number 9:
"That Von Miller penalty was bullshit."
— Coach Marsh (@LegendaryCraig) September 25, 2017
-Abraham Lincoln
Number 8:
That was a bullshit call fo r the fake handshake on Von Miller wtf? Not saying we would win with that penalty but ffs @nflcommish kys
— W T F (@HoodieCarmelo) September 24, 2017
Number 7:
OH AND THAT PENALTY AGAINST VON MILLER FUCKING BULLSHIT...
— (@Legend_of_Lando) September 24, 2017
Number 6:
On first look, that penalty call on Von Miller was one of the most bullshit call I've ever seen
— Terry Taylor (@theterrytaylor) September 24, 2017
Number 5:
That penalty on Von Miller was complete bullshit, faking helping a guy get up as a joke. Cmon man.
— Josh Inserra (@JoshInserra5) September 24, 2017
Number 4:
That was the dumbest fucking penalty call I've seen this year. @TyrodTaylor was laughing with @VonMiller after he did it.
— Alex (@5280tillidie) September 24, 2017
Number 3:
Most anal unsportsmanlike penalty call ever in the Denver game on Von miller...such a fucking bullshit call...that ref should be fired
— Football Observer (@Chris_Lomas_) September 24, 2017
Number 2:
F..k! Great vid this! Yes @VonMiller should know it's the No Fun League but no way was that a Penalty! @TheBennyBash refs are losing it! https://t.co/dkCGa19TkR
— Myk Aussie (@MykAussie) September 25, 2017
Number 1:
Hey @VonMiller. Don't sweat the penalty, I've seen you do that same joke a hundred times before, refs can't take a joke. #MVP #GoBroncos
— Thompson Kirkpatrick (@CptnTGKirk) September 25, 2017
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