The end of Sunday night’s Packers win over the Chiefs featured a number of disputed calls and non-calls by the officiating crew, including the decision not to penalize Packers defensive back Carrington Valentine for interfering with Chiefs wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling on a deep throw in the final seconds of the game.
Valentine appeared to make contact with Valdes-Scantling well ahead of Patrick Mahomes’ pass getting to the receiver, but no flag was thrown and referee Brad Allen told a pool reporter after the game that officials saw “no material restriction” to the receiver on the play. A penalty would have given the Chiefs the ball inside the 10-yard-line, but their drive ended with three more incomplete passes.
After the game, Mahomes said he thought Valentine’s contact came too early before adding that he has “to make the throw” and that a better throw would have taken the game out of the hands of the officials.
“It is what it is, man. Obviously the guy was probably a little early, but at the end of the game they’re letting guys play,” Mahomes said at his postgame press conference. “I’m kind of about that. I’d rather you let the guys play and let the guys win it on the field. It’s a hard job, man. When we’re in that situation, I can’t be wanting a flag. I have to try to go out there and win the game myself and with the rest of my teammates.”
The officiating swung both ways as the Chiefs benefitted from a very questionable late hit call on Packers safety Jonathan Owens for contacting Mahomes at the end of a running play earlier in the same drive. The Chiefs also had the only turnover of the game on an interception in the fourth quarter and allowed Packers touchdowns on three of Green Bay’s first four possessions, so there were plenty of opportunities wasted by Kansas City before the pass to Valdes-Scantling in the final minute.