The Kansas City Chiefs edged out the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship, but a questionable call in the first half sparked debate about potential favoritism from NFL officials. The Chiefs benefited from a controversial ruling that awarded them possession after a seemingly incomplete pass, fueling further scrutiny of the officiating in their playoff run.
The Kansas City Chiefs secured a controversial victory in the AFC Championship against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, thanks to a questionable call late in the first half. With 3:13 left in the second quarter and facing a 3rd-and-5 situation, Patrick Mahomes scrambled and launched a pass towards rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy . Worthy and Bills safety Cole Bishop both jumped for the ball, with the replay appearing to show Bishop potentially securing the ball mid-air.
However, the officials ruled that Worthy had completed the catch, awarding possession to the Chiefs instead of an interception for the Bills. To compound Buffalo's misfortune, a holding penalty was also called against them, making it highly unlikely they would have regained possession. Bills head coach Sean McDermott challenged the ruling on the catch, citing the apparent contact with the ground. However, despite the replay showing the tip of the football hitting the ground, the call stood, confirming the catch by Worthy. A few plays later, the Chiefs capitalized on the controversial call, scoring a touchdown on a Patrick Mahomes run, extending their lead to 21-10. Social media erupted with accusations of favoritism towards the Chiefs from NFL officials, echoing similar controversies surrounding their divisional round win against the Houston Texans. During the week leading up to the AFC Championship, Mahomes addressed the allegations of favoritism, stating, 'I don’t feel that way. ..., I just try to play football at the end of the day. The referees are doing their best to call the game as fair and proper as best they can. For me, it's go out there, play hard, try to do whatever I can to win the football game and then live with the results based on my effort and how I play the game, and that's what we preach here in Kansas City.
NFL AFC Championship Buffalo Bills Kansas City Chiefs Patrick Mahomes Xavier Worthy Controversial Call Officiating Favoritism
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