The New York Jets were dealt a tough loss on Sunday, falling 23-20 to the Kansas City Chiefs after a controversial penalty call late in the fourth quarter.
The Jets had the ball on their own 25-yard line, trailing by three points with just over two minutes left in the game. On a third-down play, quarterback Sam Darnold completed a pass to wide receiver Jamison Crowder, who was tackled at the Chiefs’ 48-yard line. The officials initially ruled that the play was a first down, but after review, they determined that Crowder had stepped out of bounds before making the catch and called an illegal touching penalty.
The penalty resulted in a 10-yard loss, pushing the Jets back to their own 38-yard line and forcing them to punt. The Chiefs then ran out the clock to secure the win.
The Jets were understandably frustrated with the call, as replays showed that Crowder had not stepped out of bounds before making the catch. Coach Adam Gase said after the game that he felt the call was wrong and that it cost his team the game.
The NFL has since acknowledged that the officials made an incorrect call on the play. The league said that Crowder should have been given a first down, and that the penalty should not have been called.
The loss was a tough pill to swallow for the Jets, who had been playing well and had a chance to tie or take the lead late in the fourth quarter. It was a game that could have gone either way, and it’s unfortunate that it was decided by a controversial penalty call.
