The Houston Texans didn’t mince any phrases following their divisional spherical playoff exit on Saturday. In Houston’s eyes, the officers performed a major position of their 23-14 loss to the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium.
“We knew going into this recreation that it was ‘Us vs. Everyone,‘“ mentioned Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans after the competition. “And after I say all people — it’s all people.”
“We knew it was going to be us versus the refs going into this recreation,” added defensive finish Will Anderson Jr.
The Texans, who had entered the sport as 8.5-point underdogs, went toe-to-toe with the two-time reigning world champions early. Regardless of out-gaining their opponent and being extra profitable on third downs, nevertheless, in addition they held the lead in penalties.
Whereas the Chiefs have been flagged 4 instances for 29 yards in entrance of their dwelling crowd, the visiting Texans have been referred to as for eight infractions leading to a lack of 82 yards. The amount itself was not the primary gripe for the workforce afterwards, however somewhat the character of a number of the calls.
And within the eyes of NFL officiating skilled Ben Austro of Soccer Zebras, essentially the most controversial flags ought to certainly not have been referred to as.
The primary of these got here with 7:00 to play within the first quarter, when Anderson was referred to as for roughing the passer on a Patrick Mahomes incompletion. As an alternative of the Chiefs going through a 4th-and-3, the flag stored their drive alive; seven performs later they kicked a discipline purpose to go up 6-3.
In response to Austro, the proper name would have been none in any respect:
Texans defensive finish Will Anderson was flagged for roughing the passer. The contact was excessive, however there was no forcible contact to the top and neck space. This could not have been penalized.
He added that replay guidelines might have overturned that decision, however since there was contact to the top no such motion was taken. The flag stood, permitting Kansas Metropolis to realize a free 15 yards.
The second controversial penalty got here with 1:52 left within the third quarter. The Texans had simply manufactured a large 15-play, 82-yard landing drive to scale back their deficit to at least one level. Up 13-12, Kansas Metropolis tried to get some momentum again on its subsequent possession, one thing the workforce managed to do due to a spectacular 11-yard landing go from Mahomes to tight finish Travis Kelce.
That play was uncontroversial, one thing that was not the case earlier within the collection. Making a deal with towards Mahomes on a 9-yard scramble, linebacker Henry To’oTo’o was hit with an pointless roughness name.
Austro once more disagreed with the decision:
A second hit on quarterback Patrick Mahomes was dominated pointless roughness. In actuality this could not have been a flag, and within the context of the sooner inaccurate flag, this followers the flames of preferential therapy.
On a run like this, there are NO quarterback protections, solely these out there to some other runner. Mahomes could be contacted due to his late choice to slip, besides the Texans could not forcibly contact him within the head or neck space. Defenders are instructed to go excessive.
There’s contact to his head, however there’s additionally contact to the physique which makes the contact incidental and never forcible to the top. What officers do see if Henry To’oTo’o coming into the deal with together with his forearm in entrance. There’s a signature of a forcible shot to the top, and sadly the crew took this as a foul.
The officiating skilled later added that “[t]he well-worn trope of the Chiefs having the officers on their aspect is clearly false, however video games like this feed into it.” From that perspective, the Texans’ frustration over the officiating is comprehensible.
Nonetheless, these penalties have been just one a part of Houston’s undoing. Leaving 5 factors on the board as a result of three whole missed kicks, going 1-for-3 within the crimson zone, and taking a 16-yard sack on a 4th-and-10 within the fourth quarter didn’t assist the workforce’s possibilities of leaving Kansas Metropolis with a victory both.
The Texans wanted to deliver their A-game with a purpose to have a profitable recreation on Saturday afternoon, and they didn’t. Neither did the officers.