Baffling calls overshadow Kansas City Chiefs' comeback win as Raiders concede one of the NFL's rarest penalties
The Las Vegas Raiders traveled to Arrowhead Stadium to face the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football. This bout between two division rivals proved to be everything prime time football was intended to be and more - with emphasis on the more. The Chiefs walked away victorious from a 30-29 contest, but the play of these two AFC West teams wasn't the main thing fans took note of. Instead, it was questionable officiating.
First, there is an incident that needs to be discussed for context. On Sunday, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers played their own divisional game against the Atlanta Falcons. Right when it seemed the Falcons were in prime position to cap off a 21-point comeback, the most controversial call of the season was made. Atlanta were controversially flagged for roughing the passer and the NFL world was appalled.
What did the NFL do to rebound from this controversy? They duplicated it. This time they threw the flag in Chris Jones' direction after he sacked and took the football from Derek Carr. Roughing the passer isn't a rare flag. It's such a common penalty that it's been the talk of the NFL for back-to-back days. Watch the video below:
Roughing the passer? https://t.co/6Sb6JprsWe
The buzz leaves an even more intriguing call hidden in the shadows. A highly unusual flag due to its rarity and mind-blowing coincidences. The most head-scratching call that transpired on Monday was a defensive hold on a field goal attempt. Exactly, a what?
Raiders concede defensive holding on MNF: Strange penalty, stranger coincidences
Trailing 23-24, the Raiders' defense came up with a massive stop against the Chiefs late in the fourth-quarter. Even better, Kansas City missed their field goal attempt, giving the Raiders the ball back with no points added to the scoreboard.
Only, that's not exactly what happened. The Raiders' defense did force a field goal, and Kansas City did miss their kick, but a baffling call was made; defensive holding on the field goal attempt.
Malcolm Koonce got called for a holding penalty here.. But it looks like the coach may have designed this play to get a guy through the gap. https://t.co/pSsHkH63H3
The 'guilty party' was Malcolm Koonce, on the left side of the screen. Flagging for defensive holding on a field goal attempt doesn't come without purpose, normally. The rule exists to prevent a defensive player from holding a blocker, allowing a teammate to run untouched and block the kick.
This didn't appear to be the case with Koonce. Not only did Koonce get held before making contact with his blocker, but the contact by the Raiders' defender came after a teammate breezed past the two. Some fans are calling it a wash due to the egregious roughing the passer blunder earlier in the game. Either way, neither of these calls should be happening.
Defensive holding on a field goal attempt is exceedingly rare. Since 2015, this penalty has been called just twice, with extraordinary coincidences between the two most recent calls. Khalil Mack was the last defender flagged for holding on a field goal attempt on Christmas Eve 2015.
Onto the coincidences. Mack and Koonce are the only players to have been penalized for such a thing over the last seven years. The two accused players were both edge rushers who played for the Raiders, who happened to be in the second year of their NFL careers out of Buffalo. Both of the above-mentioned players were also 24 years old. The same referee who threw the flag on Monday was involved in the 2015 call as well.
Unsurprisingly, both plays have been the subject of controversy. Hopefully, they're the last defensive holding calls on a field goal attempt we'll ever see. Unless, of course, there's actually defensive holding on display.