Bengals: Rules expert explains biggest controversy during AFC Championship
The biggest controversy from Sunday's AFC Championship Game came when the Kansas City Chiefs "ran" two consecutive third-and-nine plays. The sequence eventually proved costly to the Cincinnati Bengals, who had gotten the stop on the play which was shut down before having to line up and do it all again. Stopping Patrick Mahomes twice is […]
The biggest controversy from Sunday's AFC Championship Game came when the Kansas City Chiefs "ran" two consecutive third-and-nine plays.
The sequence eventually proved costly to the Cincinnati Bengals, who had gotten the stop on the play which was shut down before having to line up and do it all again.
Stopping Patrick Mahomes twice is a tall task. In the re-do of third-and-nine, the Bengals were called for defensive holding, which moved the chains.
Even Ja'Marr Chase took to Twitter to point out the controversy.
But let's be fair here.
That play was blown dead inside a loud stadium. It had to be redone. The result could've been a 66-yard touchdown bomb and it still would've been shut down as one official was blowing it dead before the snap.
This wasn't the NFL "rigging" the game against the Bengals.
Football Zebras is a blog that focuses on NFL officiating and provides analysis of games throughout the league. Driven by rule experts and real-life referees, it's the go-to for officiating controversies.
Here's what writer Cameron Filipe had to say about the 3rd and 9 that had to be replayed after a clock reset:
"The clock reset/play shutdown snafu looked very bad, but as we explained, it was handled properly. Arrowhead Stadium is very loud, and we saw on two occasions that the volume of the crowd can drown out whistles on the field. While it is messy to have to go back when team personnel has changed and redo a play, it was administered properly.
The crew did not back down when they needed to make critical decisions, and that does speak to their toughness. While it did not run completely smoothly, the game was managed well. The casual fan will not agree, but try to tell a casual fan to look through clear lenses rather than those that are tinted by the loyalty to a team."
While there were some messy moments, the officiating wasn't nearly as bad and certainly wasn't the reason why the Bengals lost.
What is a fair complaint, however, is the inconsistencies throughout the NFL when it comes to how officiating crews handle games. One day you get a "let 'em play" approach and another it's super strict officiating.
One thing is clear, though. Cincinnati will play in these high-stakes scenarios for years to come.
Featured image via Kareem Elgazzar-USA TODAY Sports
