Titans’ Mike Vrabel thinks NFL blew call by ruling Chiefs’ Travis Kelce didn’t fumble
Did the Chiefs catch a big break during Sunday night’s 22-9 win over the Broncos?
“Sunday Night Football” rules analyst Terry McAuley thinks so. Ditto for Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel.
This is the play in question: Holding a 10-3 lead in the second quarter, the Chiefs had the ball on their own 37-yard line. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw a pass to tight end Travis Kelce that was ruled incomplete.
And in real time, that seemed to be the obvious call. But in slow motion, it appeared Kelce may have caught the ball and fumbled. That’s what the Broncos, who had a clear recovery of the fumble, thought, and so they challenged the play.
After a replay review, the play was ruled an incomplete pass. NFL Officiating shared its explanation of the call on Twitter.
Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel responded to that message by sharing a passage from the NFL rulebook defining what is a catch.
— Mike Vrabel (@CoachVrabel50) December 6, 2021
McAulay also shared his thoughts on why he believed Kelce fumbled the ball.
The third element is “performing an act common to the game”. An “additional step” and “tucking the ball away” are both noted as acts common to the game. Time may be a factor but is superseded if an actual act common to the game is performed. https://t.co/Y8BixoYBl8 pic.twitter.com/sWUvzeuI8x
— Terry McAulay (@SNFRules) December 6, 2021
This is a catch and a fumble. The receiver controls the ball, gets 2 feet down, and then both tucks the ball and takes an additional step before losing control. Both are acts common to the game that complete the process of the catch. https://t.co/E4z3vyjHgH
— Terry McAulay (@SNFRules) December 6, 2021
In the end it didn’t matter what McAulay or Vrabel thought. The replay review ruled Kelce dropped the ball rather than catching it and then fumbling.
And with the Chiefs’ win, they now have an 8-4 record, the same as the other three division leaders: the Patriots, Ravens and ... Titans. That may explain Vrabel’s decision to call out NFL officiating on Twitter.
Of course, the Ravens and Titans hold the tie-breaker on the Chiefs, but things are setting up for a wild finish in the AFC playoff race.