Lions Fans Outraged as Referees Overturn Key TD in Loss to Chiefs: "Rigged for Chiefs"
In a game filled with drama, controversy, and frustration, the Detroit Lions suffered a tough 30-17 defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. But while the loss itself left fans upset, it was a crucial penalty call that had Lions supporters furious. The call in question? An illegal shift penalty on quarterback Jared Goff, which wiped out what would have been a game-opening touchdown.
"Absolutely ridiculous," one Lions fan posted on social media, summing up the sentiments of many who felt that the officiating, particularly the penalty on Goff, cost Detroit a significant early lead.
The controversy began on the Lions' first offensive possession of the game, when Goff caught a 1-yard pass from running back David Montgomery. It looked like Detroit was going to jump out to an early lead, but officials flagged Goff for an illegal motion penalty after he moved out behind center and failed to get properly set before the play. The penalty forced the Lions to settle for a field goal instead of taking the 6-0 lead.
The decision sparked an immediate backlash from Lions fans, many of whom felt the call was overly harsh and possibly even influenced by the high-profile nature of the Chiefs. One enraged fan wrote,
Despite the early penalty setback, the Lions managed to battle back and briefly took the lead in the second quarter, only to see it slip away by halftime. Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes, playing at his best, led a touchdown drive just before the half and extended the Chiefs' lead in the third quarter.
The Lions, trailing 13-10 at the break, found themselves fighting from behind as the Chiefs continued to exploit Detroit’s defense. The Lions’ defensive woes were exacerbated by injuries to key players, including Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch, which left the secondary struggling against Mahomes’ precision passing.
While the Lions did pull within three points in the fourth quarter with a touchdown pass from Goff to Sam LaPorta, Mahomes responded with another clinical drive, capped by a touchdown to Hollywood Brown, and a field goal sealed the game for the Chiefs.
Despite the loss, the most vocal frustration from Lions fans continued to surround the officiating and the overturning of the touchdown. “That penalty was a game-changer,” said another fan. “It feels like the refs are rigging these games for the Chiefs.”
While it’s unclear whether the penalty had a direct impact on the outcome of the game, the outcry from Lions fans highlights the sense of injustice they felt. Detroit now faces an uphill battle as they look to bounce back from their second defeat of the season.
As the season progresses, the Lions will need to put these controversial moments behind them and focus on their upcoming challenges. But for now, the anger over the overturned touchdown remains a focal point for fans, who feel robbed of a legitimate opportunity to beat one of the NFL’s top teams.
Spiraling AFC Team Got Turned Down by Former Raiders QB: Report
There have been a lot of notable injuries to start this season around the NFL, and while some teams have been able to overcome them, other teams are falling apart. The Cincinnati Bengals knew they wouldn’t be able to fully replace Joe Burrow once he went down, but they were hoping that Jake Browning would at least keep them afloat.
That hasn’t been the case as the Bengals are now 2-4. They traded for Joe Flacco to try to give them a boost, but they lost again in Week 6. However, Flacco wasn’t their first choice. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, one of the quarterbacks the Bengals reached out to was former Las Vegas Raiders Pro Bowler Derek Carr.
Carr retired earlier in the offseason, but he is only 34. The main reason he walked away from football was due to a shoulder injury he didn’t want to undergo surgery on. That said, after seeing how bad the New Orleans Saints are this season, that may have played a factor in why he retired.
Carr is still under contract with the Saints, but it’s hard to imagine they’d demand a huge return in a trade due to the fact that he did them a solid in the offseason by retiring when he could’ve just gotten surgery and been paid a lot of money just to not play. Clearly, Carr turned down the Bengals, but it is interesting that teams think he could be willing to return.
Why Wouldn’t Carr Want to Sign With Bengals?
The most logical reason why Carr didn’t show interest in going to Cincinnati is likely because he’s still not 100%. He didn’t retire for no reason. His shoulder isn’t right, and it likely still needs time to heal.
Carr’s a tough player, so he might be able to play through it, but it could make more sense for him to come back next season when he’s had more time to get his body right. Plus, the Bengals‘ offensive line is a mess. He doesn’t want to come out of retirement just to get hit every play.
Throwing to Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins every play would be appealing, but not enough for him to risk getting hurt again.
Could Carr Return in the Future?
Carr is still young enough to play football for at least a few more years. He even said last month that he’s staying ready.
“I’m still just trying to get that back right from getting the shot and doing the rehab and all that,” Carr said on “The Dan Patrick Show” in September. “So I’m still doing those things. And so I always felt like, even though I’m done, if God wanted me to do it, I’ve got to be ready. I don’t want to go out there and not be ready, you know. So I’ll be ready, but I’m not coming back. Like, right now, today, I’m not coming back.”
Perhaps a better opportunity could appeal to Carr, but it sounds like he’s still trying to get his shoulder right. It wouldn’t be a surprise if a team is able to get him to come out of retirement next season.
