CBS Sports crew disagree as critical fourth down official review favors Chiefs

It seems as if every Kansas City Chiefs game involves a critical play or two with an official ruling that sparks criticism, and Sunday’s AFC Championship turned out no different.

Early in the fourth quarter, Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen ran a quarterback sneak on fourth down and short. Officials on the field ruled he came up short.

In the CBS Sports booth, play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz and color analyst Tony Romo discussed the play with rules analyst Gene Steratore.

Nantz pointed out the line judges on either side of the field differed on where to spot the ball.

After officials reviewed the play and confirmed the call, giving Kansas City the ball, Romo seemed surprised.

“Wow!” he said. “That’s so close, whatever the call was, I don’t think you can overturn it.”

Nantz asked Steratore for his take.

“I felt like he gained it by about a third of the football,” Steratore said. “That is just my take on the play. Tough, tough play.”

“I agree,” Nantz said.

The Chiefs go-ahead TD drive was set up by a ruling that Josh Allen did not get a Bills first down.

Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Gene Steratore react to the ruling.

“Wow.” – Romo

“I felt like he gained it by about a third of the football…” -Steratore

“I agree.” – Nantz 🏈🦓🎙️ https://t.co/R4Xs0phM0P pic.twitter.com/8xvT1t1rdn

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 27, 2025

The broadcast did an excellent job a short time later showing an overhead replay of that fourth down, highlighting the two officials coming in from opposite sides of the play with apparently different spots.

“Watch him up here, he’s in front of the line … he’s below the line. Those are two very different spots,” Romo said. “That was as important a call as either of these teams have had all season.”

Kansas City took possession and promptly scored a touchdown. While the Bills later tied the game, Kansas City got a late field goal to win, 32-29. Things might have turned out differently had Buffalo picked up the first down on that critical play. You don’t have to search very hard on social media to find furious fans claiming the Bills got robbed.