Chiefs catch break on crucial 1st-half play in AFC Championship; fans wonder if refs got it right

The Kansas City Chiefs received a favorable telephone precocious successful the archetypal fractional of the AFC Championship against the Buffalo Bills connected Sunday.

On 3rd-and-5 with 3:13 near successful the 2nd quarter, Patrick Mahomes scrambled and recovered conscionable capable abstraction to propulsion up a shot to Xavier Worthy. The rookie wide receiver and Bills information Cole Bishop some leaped for the ball. It appeared Bishop whitethorn person gotten the shot portion helium was successful the air, but Worthy managed to get his limb astir it arsenic they came down the ground.

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The officials ruled that Worthy had completed the catch, and it was the Chiefs’ shot alternatively of an interception for the Bills. Buffalo was besides called for a holding penalty, truthful it was improbable the shot would person gone backmost to them.

Bills caput manager Sean McDermott challenged whether it was a completed catch. The replay appeared to amusement the extremity of the shot hitting the ground. But still, the play was ruled a catch.

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A fewer plays later, the Chiefs scored connected a Patrick Mahomes touchdown run. Kansas City had a 21-10 lead.

NFL fans were speedy to constituent retired that the questionable telephone went successful the favour of the Chiefs.

NFL officials’ alleged favoritism toward the Chiefs was successful the spotlight implicit questionable calls successful their divisional circular triumph implicit the Houston Texans.

Mahomes was asked astir the alleged favoritism during the week.

"I don’t consciousness that way," helium said. "… I conscionable effort to play shot astatine the extremity of the day. The referees are doing their champion to telephone the crippled arsenic just and due arsenic champion they can.

"For me, it's spell retired there, play hard, effort to bash immoderate I tin to triumph the shot crippled and past unrecorded with the results based connected my effort and however I play the game, and that's what we preach present successful Kansas City."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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