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Bad call spoils all the good for the Chiefs
By JASON WHITLOCK
The Kansas City Star

Let’s pretend the back judge did not steal the game from the Chiefs by flagging Tony Gonzalez for a non-existent, offensive pass interference with a little more than two minutes left in regulation.

What would the story be today?

•Kansas City’s youth movement flashed its strongest sign to date of progress.

•Quarterback Tyler Thigpen took another giant step toward competency.

•Herm Edwards and Chan Gailey refused to repeat their mistake of a week ago and turn ultraconservative offensively with the game on the line.

Bill Schmitz, the ref who stole the game, should not prevent you from acknowledging and appreciating what we witnessed on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium. Matched against a legitimate playoff team (Tampa Bay), the Chiefs played their best game of the season and deserved the victory.

Instead, they were handed a 30-27 overtime defeat, thanks to Schmitz’s clueless officiating, which wiped out the remarkable Gonzalez third-down catch that should’ve sealed the outcome for Kansas City.

On third and 4 from the KC 26 and the Chiefs clinging to a 27-19 lead with two minutes, 21 seconds left on the clock, Thigpen rolled right on a bootleg and lofted a perfect pass to Gonzalez. Kansas City’s all-pro tight end broke free of Ronde Barber’s illegal death grip, hauled in Thigpen’s pass with one hand while falling to the ground and seemingly gave the Chiefs the game-icing first down.

I know why Schmitz threw the flag. Barber fell to the turf, and standing behind the play, Schmitz had good reason to assume Gonzalez pushed Barber. You and I know it’s a mistake to make decisions based on assumptions. But we all do it.

“Maybe we get that catch, the game is probably over,” Edwards said.

“Questionable call at the end,” Gonzalez said.

“I think that’s a no-call,” Thigpen said.

It was a horrendous call. It’s the kind of officiating incompetence that plagues the NFL. Pass interference is the most punitive and inconsistently called penalty in football. It should be subject to replay review.

It’s not. So the Chiefs lost. Given their 24-3, first-half lead, Kansas City’s loss is somewhat inexcusable. It took a litany of mental and physical errors to allow the Bucs back into the game.

What I found promising is all of those errors transpired on the field of play rather than emanating from the sidelines and/or headsets. I can live with young and dumb. The Chiefs won’t always be young, and they’ll learn from the mistakes that cost them this game.

What I found fascinating is that one week after denying his youthful team a chance at winning on the road, Herm Edwards and his coaching staff found a way to put the Chiefs in position to win against a good team.

Many of us have given up on Edwards. Despite an awful record, his players have not.

“I can tell you one thing, we’re a good football team,” Gonzalez said. “We’re not as bad as people think we are. We’re starting to come around.”

I cannot argue that point. It’s not just the improved play of Thigpen, although that is critical.

From out of nowhere, the Chiefs have a No. 2 receiver. Mark Bradley, the off-the-street free agent, appears to be a nice complement to Dwayne Bowe. I have no idea how this can be possible. But I will not argue what I’ve seen the past two weeks. Bradley, signed on Oct. 1, is a player. He tossed a 37-yard TD pass to Thigpen on a trick play in the second quarter. Bradley set up a field goal with a 56-yard catch and run.

Gonzalez, Bowe and Bradley might be the best pass-catching trio Kansas City has had in the 15 years I’ve followed the team. They give Thigpen a chance to succeed this season.

Kansas City’s offensive line is improving rapidly. The Chiefs rushed for 183 yards. Thigpen was sacked just once.

Defensively, the Chiefs snuffed Tampa Bay’s running game, limiting the Bucs to 3.2 yards per carry. The Bucs scored on a kickoff return and another TD off a Jamaal Charles fumble inside the 5. Kansas City’s defense produced four turnovers. The defense did more than enough to win.

The Chiefs overcame a lot of adversity, including injuries to starters Derrick Johnson, Kolby Smith and Brandon Flowers. Schmitz’s bogus flag was one obstacle too many.