The New England Patriots orchestrated a fantastic comeback against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 16. The Patriots clinched their first playoff appearance since 2021 after scoring 15 unanswered points to win 28-24, keeping alive their undefeated record away from home.
The Patriots won the game despite a massive no-call by the referees. With the score 24-21 in favor of the Ravens, Drake Maye threw a deep pass to Kayshon Boutte, and the wide receiver was tackled before the ball even arrived. It was a clear pass interference foul, but no flag was thrown.
NFL Fans Slam Referees For No-Call In Patriots-Ravens Game
Fans who watched the game were shocked by the no-call. The pass interference was clear as daylight, but the Ravens got away with one. As such, reactions on Twitter were harsh on the referees.
Former NFL player Will Compton, who now works with the media, wrote in his account that the league should “defund the referees” after the missed call.
Defund the referees
— Will Compton (@_willcompton) December 22, 2025
Julian Edelman, who spent a decade with the New England Patriots and won three Super Bowls with the team, also couldn’t believe the missed call, asking in what world it wasn’t a DPI.
In what world is that not a blatant DPI?
— Julian Edelman (@Edelman11) December 22, 2025
NFL insider Jordan Schultz was also shocked by the missed call. In his account, Schultz noted that Boutte “was getting tackled” way before the ball arrived at the wide receiver.
There is no world this isn’t a DPI. He’s getting tackled. pic.twitter.com/W1u1TH5Nod https://t.co/E7jO91qoB4
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) December 22, 2025
The same feeling was shared by NFL Draft analyst Field Yates, who works for ESPN. He asked what the reasons were for the no-call.
How on earth is that not pass interference?
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) December 22, 2025
“Refs have been awful all year Jules! It’s getting ridiculous,” a fan wrote.
“Gotta start grading these refs on performance and missed calls. Egregious miss call,” another fan remarked.
Luckily for the Patriots, in the end, the no-call made no difference. They were able to convert a fourth-down in the same drive, which ended with a touchdown by Rhamondre Stevenson.
They went ahead 28-24 and forced a turnover late in the game to conclude the comeback win and officially clinch a playoff spot.
With a 12-3 record and the recent Denver Broncos loss, they’re firmly in the race for the first seed in the AFC, which would give them a first-round bye. Drake Maye’s arrival turned the team into real contenders, and they can now duel with anyone.
Our PFSN Offense Impact Metric ranks the unit as No. 8, while the defense is ranked as No. 15.
