The Kansas City Chiefs secured their third victory of the season on Sunday night, but it was not without controversy. In their 22-17 win over the Atlanta Falcons, the Chiefs may have benefited from a questionable no-call in the final moments of the game.
With less than 4:30 remaining in the fourth quarter, the Falcons faced a critical third-and-5 from the Chiefs’ 6-yard line. Quarterback Kirk Cousins fired a pass to tight end Kyle Pitts, but the ball was ultimately incomplete. The reason for Pitts’ inability to make the catch? Chiefs safety Bryan Cook was tightly defending him before the ball arrived, a move that some argue should have been called as pass interference.
The video replay clearly shows Cook wrapping himself around Pitts before the ball reached the tight end. Despite the obvious contact, no penalty flag was thrown on the play. Referee Tra Blake explained that the official responsible for the call did not perceive any foul play.
“That is a real-time call that officials have to make a judgment on,” Blake stated. “From the angle they had at the time, they did not feel that there was a foul committed.”
Since pass interference is no longer subject to review, officials must rely on their immediate judgment in deciding whether to call a penalty for PI. In this instance, the officiating crew determined that the contact was not significant enough to warrant a flag.
“That’s a real-time judgment call for us,” Blake clarified. “We do the best we can to make that decision.”
The no-call was undoubtedly a pivotal moment in the game, as it preserved the Chiefs’ lead and potentially altered the outcome for both teams. Moving forward, the controversial play will undoubtedly spark debate and scrutiny within the football community.
