The first half of the Kansas City Chiefs’ match against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV has been marred by penalties.
It’s been quite lopsided on the penalty front in the first half of Super Bowl LV. The Chiefs were called for a grand total of eight penalties for 95 yards, while the Buccaneers were called on just one penalty for five yards. The eight penalties called on Kansas City are good for the most penalties in the first half in Super Bowl history.
The 95 penalty yards by Kansas City are good for the most in a single half in Super Bowl history according to Elias Sports Bureau. It tops the 91 yards that the Dallas Cowboys recorded way back in Super Bowl V.
Check it out:
Stat of the half:#Chiefs’ 95 penalty yards in the first half are the most in a single half in Super Bowl history, per @EliasSports. The previous record was 91, by the Cowboys in the first half of Super Bowl V. #SuperBowl
— Rich Cimini (@RichCimini) February 8, 2021
This also is the most penalty yardage that the Chiefs have recorded in a single game under head coach Andy Reid since his arrival in 2013 according to ESPN’s Stats and Information page.
It’s only the first half of the game and the Chiefs have surrendered a record-setting number of first downs via penalty with six total first downs surrendered. The previous record was four. Kansas City still has the whole second half to play.
According to @EliasSports The Buccaneers’ 6 first downs via penalty are already the most for a team in a #SuperBowl
The previous record was 4, done by 8 teams. pic.twitter.com/inaPvAEjPc
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) February 8, 2021
These aren’t the records that the Chiefs intended to break coming into this game. Many don’t seem to agree with the penalty calls on the field too, even the folks outside of Kansas City.
Neither defensive hold called on KC comes close to the standard we saw the entire season for that call all season and certainly not what we saw in TB/GB.
— Terry McAulay (@SNFRules) February 8, 2021
Refs bailing out the golden boy. Who would’ve thought?
— TJ Lang (@TJLang70) February 8, 2021
I want players to decide these games… if it’s a penalty, it’s a penalty… but man, a couple of those calls seems ???? To me!!! @Buccaneers dominated 1st half… @Chiefs get the ball & can get back into this real quick… but Bucs D seems committed to making KC play small ball!
— Kurt Warner (@kurt13warner) February 8, 2021
The Chiefs still have a chance to get back in this game, but they’re going to have to dig deep and hope that the flags don’t come out and decide the game for them.
