Referee explains controversial decision at Chiefs vs. Falcons

by Mike Stiefelhagen

The “chief judges” from Kansas City were successful again.

The Kansas City Chiefs are already being mocked online because they were lucky with the referees’ decisions in the current NFL season.

In week two, a game-deciding holding was overlooked in the narrow 26:25 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. In week three against the Atlanta Falcons, there was again at least a controversial scene in favor of the Chiefs.

In the 22-17 victory, a possible touchdown by Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts was thwarted when Chiefs safety Bryan Cook tackled him head-on and without looking at the ball. The ball was still in the air. The referees did not penalize this scene as pass interference.

NFL referee: “We are doing our best”

It was a game-deciding moment. There was still 4:30 left in the fourth quarter. It was a third down, a few yards from the end zone. For many, Cook’s action was clearly worthy of a penalty.

But there was no “PI”. Referee Tra Blake explained the decision after the game by saying that the assistant referee in charge could not see any foul: “We have to decide this in real time. From the angle that my colleagues had, it was decided that no foul took place. We did our best to make a decision.”

Pass interference situations cannot be reviewed afterwards; the referees must decide immediately whether it is a PI or not.

This means the Chiefs are 3-0 on the season. Falcons coach Raheem Morris refrained from making any critical comments about the referees after the game, fearing possible consequences from the league: “I like my money.”