Referee told Broncos they missed key delay of game penalty
The referees badly missed a delay of game penalty late in the Kansas City Chiefs’ 27-23 win over the Denver Broncos on Monday night and apparently recognized it.
KC had a 3rd-and-7 at the Denver 46 down 23-20 with 2:04 left in the game. The play clock expired before the ball was hiked, but no penalty was called.
That’s not delay of game, huh? pic.twitter.com/os7XNBTKAd
— Ken Ball (@KBall1971) October 2, 2018
Patrick Mahomes was flushed out of the pocket and found Demetrius Harris for a 35-yard gain down to the 11 that set up their winning touchdown.
Had a penalty been correctly called, the Chiefs would have been backed up five yards and facing a 3rd-and-12.
Broncos head coach Vance Joseph says he was told by an official that the ball had been hiked before the clock expired, but linebacker Brandon Marshall says another official told them that the referee just missed the call.
Brandon Marshall on the blown delay of game call.
“How do you miss that?” pic.twitter.com/dGU5TU1Xm4
— Vic Lombardi (@VicLombardi) October 2, 2018
“The ref came into the huddle and said that the ref, that that’s his one job, and he just missed it. … I don’t know, man. How you miss that? that’s just crazy,” Marshall said.
The delay of game was evident and there wasn’t a question that the Chiefs snapped the ball late. They got away with one. But the Broncos still had plenty of chances to win and just couldn’t contain Kansas City, and that’s what did them in. Oh, and Case Keenum barely missing a pass on the final drive also didn’t help.