The Kansas City Chiefs lost a tough, close game to the Arizona Cardinals Sunday and All-Pro running back Jamaal Charles provided an answer as to why.
Jamaal Charles blames refs for ‘crazy’ calls in Chiefs’ loss
The running back pegged the close loss squarely on the refs, who made two controversial calls.
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
“The reason why we lost is the refs didn’t go our way,” Charles said, according to ESPN’s Adam Teicher.
Charles said two controversial calls that went against the Chiefs were “just crazy.” One wiped out a touchdown and the other turned the ball over in field-goal range in a game that ended 17-14.
Anthony Fasano had his 19-yard scoring reception called back when defender Larry Foote went down to the ground with what appeared to be minimal contact. Drew Stanton threw an interception on the very next play and the Cardinals' scored the go-ahead touchdown on the resulting drive.
Fasano said after the game that the ref told him he had “blocked” Foote and provided no argument when it was suggested the defender flopped on the play.
“I don’t flop. That’s not my game,” Foote told AZCentral.com. “He cracked me. He hit me in the side of the head and I fell.”
Then, with the Chiefs driving into scoring position trailing by three with just over five minutes remaining, refs used a video review to rule that Travis Kelce fumbled on the 23-yard-line. The ball did move as Kelce went down to the turf, but it appeared he kept control and was down by contract, only losing the ball after he rolled over on the ground.
The call on the field was no fumble, making the overturn -- which requires clear visual evidence -- even more bewildering.
Here’s MMQB’s Peter King on the decision:
It is inconceivable that [referee Craig] Wrolstad could be 100 percent that Kelce had lost possession before his knee contacted the ground. The replay center has worked well this year and improved the consistency of replay reviews overall-without question. But that call in Arizona was a major gaffe ... and the Chiefs will have a beef if this game costs them a playoff berth.
Head coach Andy Reid was more reserved than his running back, refusing to take the bait when asked about the calls.
“I can’t comment on the officials,” he said in his postgame news conference. “We all have to do our jobs and do them to the best of our ability. Go on to something else, besides the officials. I don’t have anything good to say.”
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