The Kansas City Chiefs finished out their win over the Detroit Lions with no accepted penalties, a clean game that drew some scrutiny from fans and commentators.
Andy Reid spoke out about the game this week, pushing aside any controversy and saying referees let both teams play — ignoring some potential calls on both sides. The Chiefs coach appeared to tamp down any speculation that his team is getting preferential treatment.
Andy Reid Says No-Penalty Game ‘Good for Everybody’
The Chiefs had been penalized 13 times in a loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars the previous week, and had only one flag thrown against them on Sunday — a penalty that was offset by a Lions penalty on the same play and not accepted.
Many accused referees of showing bias toward the Chiefs, including some who shared screenshots of apparent holding penalties that were not called. The actions drew more scrutiny when Lions safety Brian Branch accused referees of ignoring a block in the back from Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster. Branch cited the uncalled block for his attack on Smith-Schuster after the game.
Speaking to reporters after his team beat the Lions 30-17 to move back to .500 at 3-3, Reid said he thought officials did a good job and believed the game was fairly officiated.
âI thought the officials let the guys play,” Reid said, via USA Today’s Chiefs Wire. “Iâm not saying I agreed with everything that went on, but I thought they were very fair how they did it.
“They couldâve called us on some, and they couldâve called them (Detroit Lions) on some and they just let it play out and let the teams really show off what theyâve got, which I think is good. I think itâs good for everybody, I think itâs good for the fans within reason, and then we had to tighten some things up.”
The game was marred by a late scuffle after Branch hit Smith-Schuster. The league announced that Branch would be suspended for one game, though the Lions safety appealed the punishment.
Chiefs Worked to Cut Down Penalties
Reid said he thought officials also did a good job the previous week, when they were flagged more than a dozen times. He added that the team worked on their discipline during the week.
âThe calls, all 13 of those calls, werenât wrong; thatâs not what Iâm saying here. We had to tighten some things up, and I thought our guys did that,â said Reid. âThey worked on it during the week, and just making sure their fundamentals and technique were right, and half of it is moving yourself into a position where you can execute. That comes down to footwork, speed, and angles. You have to do that. Those are things that you can take charge of and work on.â
The Chiefs have seen steady improvement since their 0-2 start, clawing their way back into the hunt for the AFC West. The team has more good news ahead, with wide receiver Rashee Rice returning to the team after serving a six-game suspension for his involvement in a street racing crash last year.
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