With all the news about the NFL installing reviews on late slides and it being connected to the Kansas City Chiefs, there was bound to be a few plays in their AFC Championship tilt against the Buffalo Bills that catch the ire of everyone outside of Kansas City.
We got another iteration of “what is a catch” in the second quarter of Bills-Chiefs, which also involved flags and challenges after. Chiefs’ QB Patrick Mahomes threw the ball downfield on third and long under pressure, and Chiefs’ WR Xavier Worthy and Bills’ safety Cole Bishop both go up to get the ball. The ball looks like it hits the ground, but is awarded to Worthy.
Even though this ball hit the ground and neither player had complete possession the refs rule that this was a catch by Xavier Worthy. pic.twitter.com/VuCbWzA6tH
— Rate the Refs (@Rate_the_Refs) January 27, 2025
There’s also holding on a Bills’ defender during the play, so if it’s called a catch the penalty adds onto it and the Chiefs would get the ball inside the five. The referees called it a catch, and Bills’ head coach Sean McDermott challenges the review.
After the deliberation, the Chiefs are awarded the catch and the penalty, and three plays later (four if you count the play that ultimately didn’t count because of the challenge) score a touchdown. Brutal swing for the Bills.
Although the Chiefs don’t truly get every call, it’s ones like these in high leverage situations that make people think they do. This game is tight at halftime, and if it stays close there’s going to be another high leverage situations that involve referees.
