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 wasnât 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: âEverybody knows how it is playing up here,â 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 didnât hesitate to point out how many people noticed some penalties werenât fair. âYou can never leave it in the refsâ hands. The whole world sees, man.â Itâs 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 wasnât the only one raising his voice against the officiating. His teammate Will Anderson Jr. spoke as strongly as he could, saying, âWe knew it was going to be us against the refs going into this game.â Itâs 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 wouldnât be the main reason for their loss.
