National NFL observers baffled by penalty called on Chiefs’ Eric Murray
The Chiefs defense made a big play in the second quarter of the Chiefs’ game in Oakland.
Allen Bailey sacked Raiders quarterback Derek Carr and Bailey knocked the ball free. Justin Houston recovered at the Oakland 16-yard line, and the Chiefs seemed set up for a score.
One problem: the Chiefs’ Eric Murray called for illegal contact.
Problem is, there really wasn’t a penalty, at least not by the wording of the, you know, rulebook. Murray made contact within 5 yards on the line of scrimmage.
Here is the play:
This is the “holding” penalty that took a KC #Chiefs turnover off the board. #TNF pic.twitter.com/MwyPviWtbZ
— Ghoulais Campbell (@JaxonFil) October 20, 2017
National observers were baffled by the call.
Two positively awful calls have so far cost KC a TD and a possession. Yikes.
— Rich Eisen (@richeisen) October 20, 2017
That was a flag????? Not a chance.
— Brian Billick (@CoachBillick) October 20, 2017
Horrendous call. Horrendous. Refs stole a turnover from the Chiefs.
— Peter King (@SI_PeterKing) October 20, 2017
One flag is thrown on an obvious OPI & picked up on a Raiders TD. Then a terrible flag is thrown on what would've been a Raiders TO. Awful.
— nick wright (@getnickwright) October 20, 2017
There go the refs controlling game with mystery illegal contact penalty. 3rd-down officiating
— Jason Whitlock (@WhitlockJason) October 20, 2017
Pete Grathoff: 816-234-4330, @pgrathoff