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NFL playoff bracket: Conference championship schedule and odds for next weekend This weekend's four NFL divisional playoff games offered an interesting mix of contrasts (Saturday) and similarities (Sunday). Play began outdoors Saturday in Kansas City's 20-degree weather with the Chiefs and Texans – two teams who managed just over three touchdowns a game in the
HomeSportTexans Take a Stand Against Referee Decisions in Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes'...

Texans Take a Stand Against Referee Decisions in Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes’ Controversial Hits: “It’s Us vs. the Officials”

 

Texans Share Reactions to Controversial Calls Against Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes: ‘It’s Us Against the Refs’


Some teams adopt the mindset of “us against everyone” as their rallying cry.

 

After their 23-14 loss in the AFC divisional round to the Kansas City Chiefs, the Houston Texans seized this moment to voice their frustrations over several controversial calls that didn’t go in their favor.

“We knew this game was all about us against everyone else. And when I say everyone, I mean everyone—doubters and naysayers alike,” said Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans with a chuckle. “Given this awareness, we needed to avoid the mistakes we made. We had too many self-inflicted errors.”

“We can’t keep making those mistakes.”

The Texans faced a barrage of penalties right from the start. Cornerback Kris Boyd was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct on the very first play, leading to a significant 63-yard return for the Chiefs, who began their first offensive possession deep in Texans territory.

 

During the Chiefs’ second drive, defensive end Will Anderson Jr. received a roughing the passer penalty for helmet-to-helmet contact with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

According to ESPN rules analyst Russell Yurk, it appeared that Anderson made initial contact with Mahomes’ chest, although “it looked like he came up high.”

“The helmet-to-facemask contact was enough for me to call roughing the passer on that play,” referee Clay Martin explained afterward through a Pro Football Writers’ Association report.

Anderson Jr. disagreed with the call.

“We anticipated it would be us against the referees for this game,” he said.

Just before halftime, a holding call on Shaq Mason wiped out a 12-yard scramble by quarterback C.J. Stroud, forcing the Texans to settle for a field goal. Later, tight end Dalton Schultz was penalized for offensive pass interference in the third quarter.

However, one of the most pivotal penalties occurred during a first-down run by Mahomes, who seemed to make contact by sliding at the last moment. Houston defenders Folorunso Fatukasi and Henry To’oTo’o converged on Mahomes, resulting in an unnecessary roughness penalty on To’oTo’o.

When asked if the collision was more between Fatukasi and To’oTo’o than with Mahomes, Martin responded, “When he slides, he is deemed defenseless. The responsibility falls on the defenders. I deemed there was forcible contact to the hairline, to the helmet.”

“I’ve mentioned before that late slides can be tricky,” Ryans said. “Some situations are simply unfortunate and beyond our control. But today didn’t go our way.”

In total, the Texans faced eight penalties for a loss of 82 yards. Kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn missed an extra point and failed to convert two field goals (one of which was blocked). Ryans acknowledged that they have room for improvement.

“Whether it’s special teams failing to convert kicks or defensive coverage issues, or not providing enough protection for our quarterback—when you combine that with the challenges we faced, it becomes a steep uphill struggle,” Ryans emphasized.

 

ESPN Stats and Information revealed that the Texans are the first team to gain more than 100 yards (336-212), have zero turnovers, and still lose in a postseason game. Previously, such teams had a perfect playoff record of 49-0.

The Texans were also missing wide receivers Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell, both sidelined with season-ending injuries from the regular season. Despite this, Ryans did not want to use personnel losses as an excuse. He noted that such challenges are faced by every team, and he was proud of how his squad performed with the resources available to them.

“I’m leaving here feeling discouraged. This one stings,” Ryans admitted. “I know we’re a better team than we showed today, regardless of who we’re up against.”