Pool Reporter Mike Reiss interviews referee Shawn Smith after the Bills vs. Patriots game on Sunday, December 26, 2021.
Question: Why was the penalty flag thrown and then picked up on the play in the second quarter where New England quarterback Mac Jones ran to the sideline and made contact with Buffalo's Jerry Hughes?
Smith: "What we ruled was, we had contact on the sideline. And after discussion, we determined that it was incidental contact that didn't rise to a level of a personal foul. There was no second act by the defender in that situation, so we determined there was no foul, based on that action."
Question: In the discussion, how much is New York helping aide that decision that you make?
Smith: "Zero."
Question: On the taunting penalty called on New England's David Andrews in the fourth quarter, what was the action that led to the taunting penalty?
Smith: "After we had the foul for the dead ball personal foul on the Buffalo defender, we had the situation under control and then the New England player got into the face of the opponent and started yelling. So, we had a taunting foul."
