Joe Mixon did everything he could to help the Houston Texans during the Divisional Round against the Kansas City Chiefs, where unfortunately his team lost 23-14. However, he wasn’t quiet after the game and decided to send a strong message directed at the referees.
After being eliminated from the playoffs, Mixon made a pointed statement: “Everybody knows how it is playing up here,” referring to playing against the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium and the controversial calls that often happen there. The Texans had fallen victim to one of those calls, which even led Troy Aikman to criticize Mahomes for a penalty.
The Texans running back didn’t hesitate to point out how many people noticed some penalties weren’t fair. “You can never leave it in the refs’ hands. The whole world sees, man.” It’s worth noting that, according to The 33rd Team, the Chiefs have ranked first in total penalty yards since 2018.
In the game, Mixon had a chance to score a touchdown, his second in the playoffs. But he only rushed for 88 yards, 18 fewer than his performance against the Chargers, and also had fewer attempts. Stroud had to contribute in the running game, adding 42 yards.
Will Anderson Jr. also spoke out strongly about the refs
Mixon wasn’t the only one raising his voice against the officiating. His teammate Will Anderson Jr. spoke as strongly as he could, saying, “We knew it was going to be us against the refs going into this game.” It’s also worth noting that the Texans had already lost to the Chiefs in December during Week 16.
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Mistakes were as costly as the penalties
According to a report from James Palmer, who gathered testimonies from several Texans players in the locker room after the loss, the team was clear that mistakes ultimately cost them the game against the Chiefs. They were frustrated by some of the referee calls, but that wouldn’t be the main reason for their loss.
