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Officials in the game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Cincinnati Bengals came under fire on Sunday over costly penalties and a handful of potential missed calls during the game.
The Chiefs won 26-25 as their game-winning drive was extended due to a pass interference penalty. Bengals fans and general NFL observers pointed out other missed calls during the game.
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Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh warms up for the Steelers game at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh on Dec. 2, 2007. (Jason Bridge-USA Today Sports)
Former Bengals star wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh appeared to be upset as well. He also mentioned the unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against Ja’Marr Chase.
“B—h a– refs miss a big call & throws flag on Chase. Players get fined but refs get AWAY with a bunch of TERRIBLE CALLS,” Houshmandzadeh wrote on X.
“Give every game to the Chiefs rest of season. Refs in their favor every game. Why play the game if we know results beforehand?
“That was PI. Let’s see if that call gets made moving forward for other teams when it’s 4th & long.”
The Bengals were at the Chiefs’ 34-yard line when Joe Burrow found Chase for a 4-yard completion. As Chase got back up to head to the huddle, he couldn’t help but give referee Alex Kemp an earful about the tackle from Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie.
Bengals wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh runs the ball against St Louis Rams at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Dec. 9. 2007. (Frank Victores-USA Today Sports)
Chase had to be dragged back to the huddle and Burrow even had to push the star wide receiver away from Kemp after the penalty. It put a halt to any momentum the Bengals were creating at the time and led to an Evan McPherson field goal.
The three points over the possibility of getting six, seven or eight was huge. The Chiefs eventually marched down the field and set up Harrison Butker for the game-winning field goal.
Kemp explained to a pool reporter what the issue was with Chase, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. Kemp said officials told Chase they didn’t believe McDuffie’s tackle was of a hip-drop nature, which would have resulted in a penalty.
“It’s pretty clear cut,” he said of the reasoning for the penalty. “It’s just simply abusive language toward a game official. That’s all it was. And there was really no interpretation. I’m not going to repeat to you what he said, but there was no interpretation with the language that he used – just abusive language.”
Kemp pointed out why Chase’s words crossed the line with him.
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow attempts to hold back wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase as he continues to shout at a referee during the Chiefs game at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024. (Sam Greene/The Enquirer/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
“The simple answer is, profanity used by grown men versus direct, personal abusive language toward a game official,” Kemp said. “That’s the line. When that line gets crossed, we simply can’t let that happen in pro football.”
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Chase was seen on the sideline upset as head coach Zac Taylor tried to calm him down. He slammed his helmet on the ground in frustration.
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