Did Bad Calls Cost the Texans the Game? One Expert Says Yes

The Houston Texans faced an uphill battle in their divisional round playoff game against the Kansas City Chiefs. They entered the game as underdogs and ended up with more penalties than their opponents. But the issue wasn't the number of penalties, it was the type. An NFL officiating expert, Ben Austro, criticized two specific calls, saying they were unfair to the Texans. First, in the first quarter, defensive end Will Anderson Jr. was penalized for roughing the passer. The expert argued that the contact was high but not forceful enough to warrant a penalty. Later in the game, linebacker Henry To’oTo’o was also flagged for a late hit on Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. The expert again disagreed, saying the contact was incidental and not forcible to the head. These controversial calls kept the Chiefs' drives alive and even led to points. The Texans had their own issues, like missed kicks and red zone struggles. But the bad calls didn't help their cause. It's easy to see why the Texans feel they were up against more than just the Chiefs on the field.