Patriots screwed out of turnover on terrible sack call against Chiefs
The New England Patriots were screwed out of a turnover during their game on Monday night against the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Chiefs had the ball with a 3rd-and-4 at their 42 in the second quarter against the Patriots. Chase Winovich wrapped up Patrick Mahomes for a sack, and the Kansas City quarterback threw the ball in desperation. Shilique Calhoun caught the ball for what should have been an interception or fumble recovery, but that wasn’t the outcome the referees decided on.
Instead, the officials blew the whistle as Mahomes was being tackled. The referees later said that they ruled it a sack because Mahomes was in the grasp. That means they stopped the play to avoid Mahomes getting hit any more. That decision wiped out what should have been an interception for the Patriots.
This should be a fumble or even a #Patriots INT. There should've been no whistle.
Instead, it's ruled…. a sack. pic.twitter.com/U3HM0SYa0x
— NFL Update (@MySportsUpdate) October 6, 2020
Bill Belichick was not eligible to challenge the turnover because the play was considered to have stopped before then.
Referee Tony Corrente on the “in the grasp” call in #NEvsKC: pic.twitter.com/og3z8mUcmK
— NFL Officiating (@NFLOfficiating) October 6, 2020
Instead of New England having the ball in Kansas City territory, the Chiefs got a chance to punt on fourth down, causing a big change in field position. KC’s punt went into the end zone. The Patriots got the ball at the 35 thanks to an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
New England later drove down the field, but they lost an opportunity for points when Brian Hoyer took a sack to end the half. The veteran quarterback should have thrown the ball away to give New England a chance to tie the game at six.
