By Tim Graham, Joe Buscaglia and Nate Taylor
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and coach Andy Reid expressed frustration with the officiating following Sunday's loss to the Buffalo Bills. Reid described a late offensive offside call as “a little embarrassing for the National Football League.”
“We’re talking about another referee game,” said Mahomes, who was seen visibly upset on the sidelines earlier as the clock ticked down. “That’s not what we want for the NFL. That's not what we want in football. Let's play the game. Then whatever happens happens.”
Mahomes almost won the game on the final drive, throwing a 25-yard pass to tight end Travis Kelce, who then passed the ball sideways back to receiver Kadarius Toney, who scored the score. But officials said Toney was lined up in the neutral zone before the ball traveled and threw the flag. The Chiefs then turned the ball over on downs and ended the contest with a 20-17 loss.
Mahomes slammed his helmet on the ground and several teammates had to restrain him as he yelled toward the field after the call in the final minute. Mahomes can be heard saying the offensive offside was the “wildest F call I've ever seen” while hugging Bills quarterback Josh Allen after the game. In video clips shared on social media, he can also be heard muttering that the call was “damn.”
Mahomes later said Kelce's play was “a legendary moment” that was ruined by the call but that it had no bearing on the outcome of the game. Reid said officials typically cautioned the sideline before issuing a penalty like Toney's.
Referee Carl Cheffers addressed the call after the game, saying the down judge saw that Toney's “alignment was over the ball and that he decided that on the field.” Regarding Reid's comment, Cheffers said if a coach or receiver If he was looking for guidance on alignment, officials would give it to him, but “ultimately they are responsible for wherever they line up.”
“And certainly no warning is necessary, especially if they are so far offside that they are actually blocking our view of the ball,” Cheffers said. “So we would somehow warn them if it was anywhere nearby, but this particular case is unprepared.”
For their part, the Bills kept their playoff hopes alive as Allen led a game-winning, 12-play, 49-yard drive that culminated in a 39-yard field goal by Tyler Bass with 1:54 left.
The Bills join five other teams – Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers – with 7-6 records and remain in the hunt for a final postseason berth. The Steelers, Colts and Cleveland Browns are the current wild card teams when the season ends on Sunday due to tiebreakers.
Allen finished the game with 23 of 42 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Running back James Cook led the Bills in both rushing (58 yards on 10 carries) and receiving (five catches for 83 yards and a score).
Mahomes was 25 of 43 for 271 yards, one touchdown and one interception. The loss dropped the Chiefs to 8-5.
NFL Week 14 results: Live updates, schedule, news, playoff rankings and highlights
The Bills' postseason hopes remain
The Bills survived a tumultuous week and a stunning trick touchdown that was negated by a penalty with 1:12 to play. The win was crucial in keeping Buffalo's playoff hopes legitimate. Bills coach Sean McDermott was upset in a controversial article in which unnamed sources questioned his coaching abilities. Even his most ardent fans couldn't deny his shortcomings this season, especially at 3-0 when he took the lead in the final two minutes of a game. Buffalo took the lead again when Bass kicked his late field goal.
Von Miller, who was arrested last week for third-degree assault on his pregnant girlfriend but was still allowed to play, helped put heavy pressure on Mahomes on the final possession. — Tim Graham, senior sports writer from Buffalo
Despite giving the Chiefs chance after chance to take control of the game, the Bills held on to their beloved playoff life with perhaps the most important win of their season. Not only do the Bills move to 7-6 in a six-way battle for the final two playoff spots, but they also get a much-needed AFC win for tiebreaker purposes. The Bills still trail in that area, but improve their record on the year to 4-5. Now, with four games left, the Bills have two games against AFC opponents with losing records and a real chance to sneak back into the playoffs – despite the disappointment of the first 12 games. – Joe Buscaglia, Bills editor
The Chiefs WR room continues to disappoint
Once again, one of the Chiefs receivers is the main culprit in another disappointing loss. This time, the defining moment in the Chiefs' loss to the Bills came because Toney made a mental error that resulted in an offside penalty after he lined up in the neutral zone during the team's two-minute practice. Had Toney started the play in the right spot, he would have benefited from one of the most impressive and instinctive plays of the season from Kelce, who caught a pass for 25 yards and then passed the ball across the field to Toney, who was wide open to shoot running into the end zone for a 24-yard touchdown, a score that would have given the Chiefs a potential four-point lead with 1:25 to play. Instead, Toney's penalty wiped out the 51-yard play. The Chiefs did not gain another yard as Mahomes' next three passes were incomplete. – Nate Taylor, Chiefs staff writer
The Bills defense gets the job done
The Bills have had several moments this season where an above-average defense put up a great fight in the first three quarters, only to pull the rug out from under them in the fourth quarter and overtime before giving up at the end. They even lost two other key defenders: starting safety Micah Hyde and rotational defenseman AJ Epenesa. But in a game against the defending world champion Chiefs, who were playing against the best quarterback in the league, who had a lot of success in late games against the Bills in the past, the defense came under tremendous pressure on Mahomes, making key stops, etc. in a win walk away. It was a big moment for a struggling defense and one that could catapult the Bills into the playoffs when all hope seemed lost. – Buscaglia
The Chiefs are planning an away playoff game
After losing four of their last six games, the Chiefs' chances of securing the AFC's top playoff spot – including home-field advantage and a first-round bye – have diminished significantly. The Chiefs, who never held a lead heading into Sunday's game, must win their final four games of the regular season – against the Patriots, Raiders, Bengals and Chargers – just to have a chance of reaching the top of the conference standings. The Chiefs will also need help, as the Baltimore Ravens and Miami Dolphins will need to lose at least two of their remaining games for such a scenario to occur. At this point, the Chiefs are as close as possible to potentially having to play a postseason game on the road for the first time in the Mahomes era. –Taylor
Required reading
(Photo: Jamie Squire/Getty Images)