Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce vs. the Giants (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Referees called a phantom facemask against the Giants on the Kansas City Chiefs game-winning drive, potentially costing New York the game.
The Chiefs managed to just squeak by the Giants on Monday Night Football, 20-17.
They can thank the referees for an assist.
On the game-winning field goal drive with time ticking down, Tae Crowder was flagged for a facemask penalty on Travis Kelce. The problem? He never actually grabbed the facemask.
The refs called a phantom facemask penalty on the Giants
You can see how the refs might have missed that call but it was a miss. If only the NFL had a video replay system in place to allow the officials to correct a mistake like that…
So, what would have been a third-and-short at the Kansas City 38-yard line turned into a first-and-10 across midfield. The Chiefs went on to move the ball inside the 10 before settling for a 34-yard field goal to take a three-point lead with just over a minute left.
That was all after an offsides call wiped away a Darnay Holmes interception earlier in the drive. That one would have changed the game immensely and it could also be the subject of debate, though it was probably the right call.
The Giants had their chances, even with the dubious facemask call. The Chiefs were lucky to get away with the win, but it’s still theirs.