The Mike & Mike crew are confused by NFL senior VP of officiating Dean Blandino's assessment of Richard Sherman's blocked field goal attempt. (1:54)

SEATTLE -- Last week, Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman was asked how he'd fix some of the officiating issues in the NFL.

"Make the rule book a lot less extensive," he said. "You have a bunch of rocket scientists writing the rules I guess for a simple game."

But on the final play against the Buffalo Bills on Monday night, Sherman took advantage of one of the rules that determines what defensive backs are allowed to do when quarterbacks leave the pocket.

On the Bills' last fourth down, Sherman leveled wide receiver Walter Powell in the end zone while Tyrod Taylor still had the ball.

Photo courtesy of NFL

But according to the rules, what he did was perfectly legal. From the NFL rulebook:

"Once the quarterback or receiver of the snap hands off, is tackled, throws a forward or backward pass, loses possession of the ball by a fumble or a muff that touches the ground, or if the quarterback leaves the pocket area, the restrictions on the defensive team relative to offensive receivers (illegal contact, illegal cut block) will end."

When Sherman hit Powell, Taylor was clearly outside the pocket.

"I can't believe. I'm sitting there looking at the ref, in his eyes," Powell told ESPN's Mike Rodak. "I [was] shocked that he didn't throw the flag, but I guess he's not the ref. Richard Sherman is the ref."

On the "Brock and Salk" show on 710 ESPN Seattle, Seattle coach Pete Carroll said the Seahawks defensive backs are coached to do exactly what Sherman did.

"You have to do it legally," Carroll said. "You can’t take a cheap shot on a guy. He did it exactly right. It just happened to be a very physical shot. But you have a chance to eliminate receivers. That’s what you’re trying to get done in that situation -- to plaster them."

Taylor's throw fell incomplete on the other side of the end zone, and the Seahawks escaped with a 31-25 victory.