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Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs have clinched their eighth consecutive AFC West division title by defeating the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 17. Conversely, the Bengals are out of playoff contention at 8-8.
While the Chiefs won and are guaranteed a home game in the Wild Card Round, football fans are furious about the referees calling intentional grounding on Jake Browning in the fourth quarter. To them, it halted the momentum Cincinnati might have had to take the lead potentially.
On first-and-10 from their 25-yard line, the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback attempted a pass with 6:18 left in the fourth quarter. At that point, the Kansas City Chiefs had a 22-17 lead.
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However, Browning was tagged for intentional grounding, resulting in a 10-yard penalty and loss of down. But fans argued that Browning threw a pass near running back Joe Mixon's location. Therefore, they felt it should have been an incomplete pass, not an infraction.
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That drive resulted in a punt while the Chiefs scored a field goal in their next possession. That shift in momentum in favor of Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs had one Twitter user commenting:
“Terrible intentional grounding call. Once again, the @chiefs get a huge penalty at the end of the game late that has massive effect on the entire drive for Cincy. Completely killed the drive. Pathetic. @NFLOfficiating always showing up for Mahomes”
Another football fan mentioned:
“As a chiefs fan. That Intentional Grounding call on the bengals was whack asf”
Here are other reactions to the intentional grounding penalty bestowed on Jake Browning.
The Chiefs-Bengals showdown was scheduled late this season because it has become an intense rivalry. However, it didn't have the same billing it usually has because of Joe Burrow's season-ending injury. Meanwhile, Patrick Mahomes finished the game with 21 completions for 245 yards and a touchdown.
What are the rules for intentional grounding?
According to the NFL Operations website:
“Intentional grounding will not be called when a passer, who is outside, or has been outside, the tackle position, throws a forward pass that lands at or beyond the line of scrimmage, even if no offensive player(s) have a realistic chance to catch the ball (including when the ball lands out of bounds over the sideline or endline).”
By watching the video of the alleged penalty, Browning's pass went beyond the line of scrimmage toward Mixon's vicinity. Therefore, fans might have a strong case about it not being a violation.
While game officials cannot undo a result, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs will try to finish the regular season on a high note against the Los Angeles Chargers. Meanwhile, the Bengals will try to clinch a winning record when they face the Cleveland Browns in Week 18.
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