NFL Official Offered Free Lasik for Missed Call at Buffalo Bills

National Football League Hall of Fame coach Bill Parcells once said "Success is never final, but failure can be". For the Buffalo Bills on Saturday the distance between success and failure was as thin as a bride's veil and perhaps that is what NFL official Al Riveron was wearing when he made a call that could have cost the Bills their first playoff victory in 25 years.

Fortunately for Bills Mafia, Buffalo went on to defeat the Indianapolis Colts 27-24 in the Wild Card Round at Bills Stadium. That hasn't stopped fans, announcers and former players from questioning Riveron's call on the field. I'll join in and say Al should check his phone, he has at least 1 missed call.

A group of Western New York eye doctors are even offering a free Lasik procedure to Mr. Riveron. According to their Facebook Page, Fichte, Endl & Elmer Eye Care in Amherst is "offering FREE LASIK to this NFL ref Alberto Riveron... in charge of video review at the Bills Game today ... clearly he is not seeing so well." Rumor has it the offer hasn't been accepted because he just can't "see" the point of it.

This is the game scenario that brought all of this on:

With :50 seconds left to play in the game Buffalo was up 27-24 but Indianapolis had the ball, 4th and 10, from the Colts 37 yard line. Philip Rivers completes a pass to the Bills 45 for what would be a first down. Before completing the tackle, Bills Cornerback Jordan Poyer ripped the ball away for a fumble and Bills recovery! Game over right? Not quite. Al Riveron ruled the "Runner was down." Colts ball. This could have been the moment that Buffalo crossed that thin line between success and failure.

We are having some fun at Riveron's expense and I suppose we feel alright with that because the Bills went on to win. Truth is Al Riveron is the Senior Vice President of Officiating for the NFL and has been with the league for over 15 years. Oh, he is also human.

Here are some unforgettable NFL games and the calls that decided them:

The Tuck Rule Game - AFC Divisional Playoff Game - Oakland vs. New England
AFC Championship Game - Los Angeles vs. New Orleans - "They blew the call" Rams win in OT
Music City Miracle - 2000 AFC Wild Card Game - Kevin Dyson's Non-Touchdown - Buffalo vs. Tennessee

This Saturday evening at 8:15 the Baltimore Ravens will be at Bills Stadium to take on Buffalo in the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs.