New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick was furious after officials botched a call in the first half of the team’s matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 4. On a third-and-4, Patriots defensive end Chase Winovich showed up with a monstrous sack. But the officials whistled the play dead early, and so a Patrick Mahomes fumble (or interception) didn’t count.
In the instant after the whistle blew, Mahomes attempted to pass the ball and linebacker Shilique Calhoun managed to catch the ball before it hit the ground. Essentially, it should have been a turnover. There was some confusion about whether the play was whistled dead, whether the officials rule the pass incomplete or whether they declared it a turnover.
But the Chiefs rushed into punt formation and booted the ball away. At that point, New England had no chance of challenging.
Tony Romo: "That's a fumble or it's an interception, if you don't want to say it's a fumble." pic.twitter.com/fxzEkgtPxw
— Henry McKenna (@McKennAnalysis) October 6, 2020
Belichick was absolutely furious with the official on the sideline.
Bill Belichick … did not like that call. pic.twitter.com/GqI6FTDSbT
— Henry McKenna (@McKennAnalysis) October 6, 2020
The referee could have paused action to explain what the officials ruled on the field, which would have given Belichick the opportunity to challenge. But the officials didn’t pause action and Belichick didn’t whip out the red challenge flag, so New England ended the series without a turnover.
It may have cost the Patriots, too. They finished their drive at the end of halftime on the Kansas City 13-yard line. Quarterback Brian Hoyer bungled the situation by taking a sack to run the clock. But he was also rushed because he had more field to cover. A shorter field might have yielded points for New England. It was a tough draw for the Patriots.
