The action between the Bills and Patriots began well before the game began, thanks to a scuffle between multiple players near the New England sideline. The league has informed PFT and NBC’s Football Night in America that all aspects of the incident will be reviewed.
No flags were thrown, because no officials were on the field. No officials were on the field because the standard procedure entails the officials entering the field 50 minutes before kickoff.
That timeline could be (and arguably should be) revised, especially since pregame fouls count toward the two-strike rule that applies to certain types of unsportsmanlike conduct fouls.
The review also could result in the imposition of fines on the players and anyone else involved in the incident.
The Patriots may suspect that coach Rex Ryan instigate the brouhaha, which began when Bills safety Robert Blanton shoved Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett. It’s unlikely the investigation will extend quite that far, however.