The Kansas City Chiefs saw their already slim playoff hopes take a major blow on Thanksgiving as they lost to the Dallas Cowboys in a mistake-filled game.
The Chiefs were called for 10 penalties in the game, including five pass interference calls that tipped the scales in the 31-28 loss. After the game, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid made it clear that he didn’t agree with the calls.
Andy Reid Disagrees With Calls
Speaking to reporters after the Thanksgiving afternoon loss, Reid said he thought referees should have let the teams play, especially given the physical approach the Cowboys were taking.
Though the Chiefs coach is often reluctant to place the blame on officiating, he spoke directly against their approach and made it clear that he disagreed with the calls.
“I’m not always going to agree with the call, but the calls were made,” the Chiefs coach said in the post-game press conference. “[Cowboys] have got some physical receivers, big, strong physical guys, and that’s the way they were playing.
“My guys were fighting to maintain leverage in that, and it’s just not the way I saw it, but it’s the way the referees saw it.”
The Chiefs finished the game with 10 accepted penalties for 119 total yards.
Others agreed with Reid’s assessment of the calls. ESPN reporter Jeremy Fowler noted that referees could have swallowed their whistles for several of the calls against Kansas City. He also directly called out those who believe the Chiefs get favorable treatment from referees.
“For the Chiefs conspiracy theorists, 119 penalty yards for Kansas City, including several ticky-tack PI calls,” Fowler shared in a post on X.
The Chiefs have been victims of penalty disparities several times this season. The team had 13 penalties for 109 yards in a loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars and 10 penalties for 71 yards in another loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.
Chiefs Fighting for Their Playoff Lives
The loss struck a significant blow to Kansas City’s hopes of making the playoffs. They are now five games behind division-leading Denver Broncos and can only take the division by running the table over their final five games of the year.
The Chiefs may need to run the table even to earn a wild-card spot. Though Reid disagreed with some of the calls, he said after the game that the team’s lack of discipline and penalties put them in position to lose.
“Bottom line is we’re having too many penalties, and we have to make sure to take care of that,” Reid said. “No excuses with it. We’re going to clean it up.”
The Cowboys also entered the game in desperate need of a win, and Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said they ultimately wanted it more. The Chiefs quarterback threw for 261 yards and four touchdowns, but also took three critical sacks and missed on other plays that could have put his team in position to win.
“They’re the same desperation that we are and they play better over four quarters than we did,” Mahomes said. “So even though we have good plays here and there, we have be more consistent at the end of the day.”
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