Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs couldnât win the Super Bowl last season, but that didnât stop them from being criticized again for alleged referee assistance in the playoffs.
The biggest controversy occurred in the AFC Championship game against the Bills when, at a crucial moment, Josh Allen seemed to have barely secured a first down on fourth and inches. However, the final decision was that he didnât cross the line, resulting in a key turnover on downs.
Additionally, in the Divisional round with the Texans, many fans and experts pointed out that the referees gave excessive protection to Patrick Mahomes, calling personal fouls on Houston that were crucial to the outcome of the game.
What happened with Josh Allen and the referees?
After that fourth-and-short play, where there was no clear television angle to confirm whether Josh Allen got the first down, the NFL has decided to implement a major change for next season.
After the annual ownersâ meeting, the NFL has approved Sonyâs Hawk-Eye technology as the primary method for measuring first downs. This will provide more accurate measurements through cameras to avoid controversies.
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The famous chain crew will remain on the field as support, but the decisions to measure the first downs will be based on what the technology shows. In addition, the new technology will cause this type of measurements to take less than 30 seconds.
