Sunday’s AFC title game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Baltimore Ravens was a hard-fought battle that ultimately ended with the Chiefs emerging victorious.
However, the game’s officiating crew has come under fire for a controversial non-call that left many NFL fans outraged.
Late in the fourth quarter, with the Ravens trailing by 10, Lamar Jackson threw a critical interception. At first glance, it appeared that Jackson was simply throwing a ball into triple coverage, but upon closer inspection, the Kansas City defense appeared to get away with blatant pass interference.
Rules expert Gene Steratore was brought in to analyze the play, but his analysis was flawed. Steratore asserted that any contact between the defense and the Ravens happened after the interception, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. The evidence clearly shows that the contact in question occurred before Jackson threw the ball, making it a clear case of pass interference.
This non-call has left a large number of NFL fans incensed. Had the referees made the correct call, it would have resulted in a pass interference call in favor of the Ravens, giving them an opportunity to close the gap to 17-14 and potentially win the game.
Instead, the referees allowed a missed call to potentially decide the game’s outcome, which begs the question: should the league investigate the officiating crew? Fans are left wondering if the integrity of the game has been tarnished by this crucial error. Regardless of what happens next, this controversial non-call has cemented itself as a defining moment in the 2020 AFC Championship game.