Some may continue to argue that the Kansas City Chiefs have benefited from favorable officiating, particularly following the AFC Championship Game.
On Sunday, the Chiefs defeated the Buffalo Bills 32-29, earning their fifth Super Bowl appearance in six years. However, two controversial calls may have shifted the momentum in Kansas City’s favor.
Late in the second quarter, facing a 3rd-and-5 at Buffalo’s 29-yard line, officials ruled that Chiefs rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy and Bills safety Cole Bishop had simultaneous possession of a pass from quarterback Patrick Mahomes. By rule, the offense retains the ball in such cases. After a Buffalo challenge, the ruling was upheld.
“It is simultaneous possession, but it comes down to simultaneous control, and it wasn’t that,” a coach told The Athletic’s Mike Sando in a Monday article. “The Buffalo defender caught the ball between his arms, while the Kansas City player only had one. The ball touching the ground didn’t matter; there wasn’t enough movement for loss of control. I think they took the easy route by letting the call stand.”
Additionally, Bills safety Damar Hamlin was flagged for defensive holding on the play, giving Kansas City 21 more yards. Four plays later, Mahomes scored on a one-yard run, putting the Chiefs ahead 21-10.
Later, after the Bills gained a 22-21 lead, Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen attempted a 4th-and-1 conversion at Kansas City’s 41-yard line early in the fourth quarter.
The down judge and line judge disagreed on whether Allen reached the line to gain. The officiating crew deferred to the down judge, who ruled Allen short. Upon review, the call was upheld.
“They rely on the official with the better angle, and since the ball was closer to the bottom-of-the-screen hash mark, the other official deferred to him,” the coach explained. “But in this case, you couldn’t see the ball clearly, and there weren’t any reliable points of reference to determine its precise location.”
CBS analyst and former referee Gene Steratore expressed his disagreement during the broadcast, stating, “I felt like [Allen] got it by about a third of the football.”
The Chiefs capitalized on the turnover on downs with two scoring drives, while Buffalo failed to convert on a late fourth-quarter opportunity.
While the Chiefs deserve recognition for securing their 17th consecutive one-possession victory, these two calls may have influenced the final result.
