Sick of Patrick Mahomes drawing penalties? You're hardly the only one

( Editors note: This is excerpted from Mike Sandos Pick Six of Jan.

20, 2025.) Forget the conspiracy theories.

NFL officials have assessed 47 penalties against the Chiefs in the fourth quarters and overtimes of one-score games over the past two seasons, including playoffs.

Those same officials have assessed 48 penalties against the Chiefs opponents in those same critical situations.

The yardage totals are similarly close: 307 yards against the Chiefs, compared to 340 yards against their opponents.

Advertisement Yes, Mahomes has a 7-0 record when Clay Martin referees his games, counting the Chiefs 23-14 victory over the Houston Texans in the divisional round Saturday.

But as the table below shows, Mahomes has undefeated records with lots of referees.

Hes a combined 25-0 with Brad Rogers, Tra Blake, Jerome Boger, Adrian Hill, Scott Novak and Alan Eck.

Mahomes might win 80 percent of his starts with you or me wearing stripes and the white hat.

No matter what the evidence says, the optics did not look right Saturday as Mahomes drew two highly questionable 15-yard penalties to help win a game in which Houston outgained Kansas City by more than 100 yards.

Especially when Mahomes sometimes tries to trick officials into throwing additional flags.

The only flops Ive seen better than him are Rodney Dangerfield in Back to School,' one opposing coach said.

Will Anderson was called for roughing the passer on Patrick Mahomes on this play.

#HOUvsKC | ESPN, ABC, ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/bTn7Z5XoLZ ESPN (@espn) January 18, 2025 The first-quarter penalty called against the Texans Will Anderson for roughing the passer (video above) fits into a category that can be tricky for officials.

Andersons helmet did make contact with Mahomes.

The leagues replay-assist mechanism can come into play if there were no contact made at all, but not to assess how forcible the contact might have been.

That penalty sustained a field goal drive after Mahomes threw incomplete on third-and-8.

The second penalty, for unnecessary roughness, helped the Chiefs cross midfield in the third quarter on their way to a touchdown for a 20-12 lead.

On that play (video below), Mahomes invited contact by turning back toward the middle of the field.

He slid late.

Converging defenders ran into each other.

Henry TooToo was called for a penalty after this hit on Patrick Mahomes.

#HOUvsKC | ESPN, ABC, ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/w4E4cSI3FF ESPN (@espn) January 18, 2025 Mahomes avoided significant contact.

Outrage ensued.

ESPNs Troy Aikman and the networks officiating expert, Russell Yurk, said it was a bad call.

Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said his team knew it would have to overcome everybody , meaning the officials as well.

GO DEEPER Texans' Ryans on controversial flags: 'It was us vs.

everybody' NFL Officiating Rules Analyst Walt Anderson appeared on @NFLGameDay with a detailed explanation of the controversial flags thrown Saturday for hits on #Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes.

Short version, per Anderson: Under the rules, officials got both calls right.

pic.twitter.com/gIL9OidOQL Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 19, 2025 I think hes a great manipulator, the coach said of Mahomes.

He knows what to do: run to the border of the field, slow down, step on the white line, get hit.

There are timing elements.

And then, once every so often, he will cut back and get the additional 15 yards.

Its a master class in leveraging rules designed to protect quarterbacks.

Its what Aaron Rodgers would do if he had entered the league 15 years later.

The rules in Rodgers prime of running were not the same, the coach said.

Rodgers was still living in the echo of Drew Bledsoes collapsed lung (actually a ruptured artery) if I dont get out of bounds quick enough.

Now, its just a farce..

This article has been shared from the original article on theathleticuk, here is the link to the original article.