An interception in the fourth quarter of Monday night’s game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Jacksonville Jaguars featured a “big miss” from the officiating crew, as ESPN Monday Night Football rules analyst Russell Yurk put it.
With Jacksonville leading 21-14, Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie picked off a pass from Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence inside Jacksonville’s 20-yard line.
Chiefs defensive back Jaden Hicks cut off the route for Jaguars wide receiver Parker Washington, leading to the opportunity for McDuffie to intercept the pass.
ESPN color commentator Troy Aikman broke down the play as the broadcast showed a replay.
“As [Hicks] comes across to cover the tight end, he bangs right into Parker Washington, and Trevor Lawrence is expecting Washington to be able to get to the ball,” Aikman said.
“We need to check in with Russell Yurk,” play-by-play announcer Joe Buck said. “Russell, that looked like interference.”
“Absolutely,” Yurk, a former NFL officiating executive, agreed. “Ball was in the air; the expected receiver in the vicinity was contacted; affected his ability to make the play. That’s a big miss. That should’ve been pass interference.”
“I mean, a huge, huge miss, as it gives Kansas City on the McDuffie interception the ball just inside the 20,” Buck responded. “And now here they are at the five, first-and-goal, after a miss on what should’ve been pass interference against Jaden Hicks.”
On the play that followed Buck’s comments, the Chiefs took advantage of the no-call, scoring a touchdown and kicking the extra point to tie the game 21-21.
Kansas City would go on to take a 28-24 lead with under two minutes remaining.
Fortunately for the Jaguars, they were able to still find a way to win the game 31-28, with Trevor Lawrence scoring the go-ahead touchdown on a crazy play with 23 seconds remaining.
If the Chiefs had been on the winning side, that no-call on the interception would’ve certainly added more fuel to the arguments that NFL officiating bails out Kansas City.
About Matt Clapp
Matt is an editor/writer at The Comeback and Awful Announcing.
He can be reached by email at mclapp@thecomeback.com.