Referees Allegedly Favoring Patrick Mahomes Once Again During Loss to Broncos Leaves Football Fans Fuming

Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes almost threw two interceptions in the loss to the Denver Broncos before the referees called a flag on one.

Referees Allegedly Favoring Patrick Mahomes Once Again During Loss to Broncos Leaves Football Fans Fuming

Patrick Mahomes (Image via The US Sun)

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The Denver Broncos surged to the top of the conference table in Week 11 with a commanding win over the reigning AFC champions, the Kansas City Chiefs. The Broncos have won the last eight games, their longest streak since 2012 when Peyton Manning and co. led Denver to straight 11 victories to close out the season.

Despite being the division toppers, Bo Nix and his squad headed into the highly anticipated outing at their own home as underdogs. They even had a clean home record, winning all five home games this season before the Chiefs game. The Broncos’ one-score close wins and slow offensive production were primary reasons why people favored the Chiefs at Empower Field.

It was the clutch-game mentality that came through for them once again when Wil Lutz kicked a 35-yard field goal through the goalpost and ran out the clock to win the game 19-22.

However, the game was not without its controversies. The fans noticed instances where the Chiefs quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, was favored by the referees. Unsurprisingly, they were fuming given that the Kansas City Chiefs have been accused of referee bias several times in the past.

When the scores were 6-6, Patrick Mahomes threw the ball right into the hands of Jahdae Barron, who ran it for a pick-six. A flag was immediately thrown, wiping out the interception for a pass interference call. Though Chiefs fans have argued that Mahomes intentionally threw the ball away for an interception.

Meanwhile, the Chiefs were able to convert the given chance into a touchdown and extend their lead. Again, unsurprisingly, this agitated the fans even more. It was not a single incident. The referees missed a clear holding penalty by a Chiefs offensive lineman on a play involving edge rusher Nik Bonitto.

Nonetheless, the referees couldn’t bail Mahomes out in the late minutes of the fourth quarter when just over three minutes remained on the clock. With the score tied at 19–19, the Chiefs faced a 3rd-and-10 situation when Patrick Mahomes was brought down on a corner blitz by the Broncos. As he hit the ground, Mahomes gestured toward his helmet and appeared to signal for a penalty.

The officials, however, did not award a flag.

Patrick Mahomes quickly losing support online as referee bias gains more traction

The Chiefs took the loss on the field and the fumes from other teams’ fans online in the form of trolls and accusations. As the Chiefs’ signal-caller, Patrick Mahomes was the target of several of these taunts.

Patrick Mahomes
Patrick Mahomes (Image via Heavy Sports)

For one, the fourth quarter incident, many observers called out what they viewed as an attempt to influence the call.

Patrick Mahomes’ performance as a whole against the Broncos also came under the radar. Mahomes finished with 29 completions from 45 attempts and threw for 249 yards, one touchdown, and an interception.

The Kansas City Chiefs’ record (5-5) right now is not ideal. As Colin Cowherd said, their dynasty is in trouble. The Chiefs’ loss, paired with the Houston Texans’ win over the Tennessee Titans, pushed them to the ninth spot in the AFC. There are two positions between the Chiefs and playoff spots now. Moreover, the Baltimore Ravens winning against the Cleveland Browns means there are three teams in the AFC with a 5-5 record. It’s panic mode in Kansas City, and the referee bias doesn’t help much.

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