The refs are never the sole reason for a loss, but they certainly hurt Baltimore's chances in a 33-28 defeat in Kansas City.
The Ravens were on the wrong end of several calls that had huge impacts on the game.
It started with a roughing the passer call for a horse-collar on Ravens linebacker Matthew Judon when he chased Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes outside the pocket on an early third down deep in Ravens territory.
Mahomes threw an off-balance pass that was going incomplete as Judon took him to the turf. Judon did grab the back of Mahomes' jersey, but that was hardly what brought him down. The penalty extended the drive that ended with a touchdown instead of a field-goal attempt.
"When you give that offense that many opportunities, eventually they're going to capitalize, and they did," safety Earl Thomas III said.
In the second quarter, a holding call on Willie Snead IV wiped out a 45-yard run by Gus Edwards that would have put the Ravens in the red zone. Snead was blocking on the edge and instant replay showed a good block.
The Ravens were trailing, 14-6, at the time. Instead of having a chance to tie the game, they punted and the Chiefs pulled away with a touchdown on the next drive.
"It kind of threw me off," Snead said. "I felt like I had my hands inside, was moving my feet and I felt like I was in front of him. Gus made a great cut and got loose. I feel bad that it was called. I've got to see the play. I don't know how bad it looked on TV."
"Yeah, [the referee] explained it and I disagreed with it," Head Coach John Harbaugh said. "I let him know what I thought about it. He told me what he thought. We'll see what the graders think."
In the third quarter, Brandon Carr intercepted Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the red zone, but safety Tony Jefferson was flagged for defensive pass interference. The Chiefs scored a touchdown three plays later to take a 30-13 lead.
"I'm not going to sit here and argue with the ref. He made the call. I just disagree," Jefferson said. "It is what it is. We just have to be better, play better, cover better."
On that same drive, there were offsetting penalties on both teams. The Chiefs had two penalties and the Ravens were flagged for one (defensive holding), which was attributed to cornerback Tavon Young, who is on injured reserve.
Rookie wide receiver Miles Boykin was also flagged for offensive pass interference on a series in the fourth quarter when the pass went behind the line of scrimmage, which means it was a lateral and Boykin was a run blocker.
"When we get turnovers taken away from us, that definitely affects the game tremendously, in my eyes," Thomas said. "Flags can be a big part of the game."
Check out the best photos from the Ravens' game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium.
RB Mark Ingram II
Ravens fans
QB Lamar Jackson
RB Justice Hill
WR Marquise "Hollywood" Brown and WR Miles Boykin
QB Lamar Jackson
Head coach John Harbaugh, QB Lamar Jackson, QB coach James Urban
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh and Chiefs head coach Andy Reid
WR Willie Snead IV
P Sam Koch
K Justin Tucker
WR Marquise "Hollywood" Brown
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) holds his helmet before an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) gestures before an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Baltimore Ravens running back Mark Ingram II (21) gestures before an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
QB Lamar Jackson
Ravens Team Captains TE Nick Boyle, DB Justin Bethel, WR Willie Snead IV, CB Brandon Carr, OLB Matt Judon
Baltimore Ravens running back Mark Ingram II (21) runs the ball in for a touchdown between Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Damien Wilson, left, and defensive end Alex Okafor (97) during the first half of an NFL football game in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
Baltimore Ravens running back Mark Ingram II (21) spikes the ball after scoring a touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first half of an NFL football game in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) carries the ball during the first half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
Baltimore Ravens running back Mark Ingram II (21) runs the ball in for a touchdown between Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Damien Wilson, left, and defensive end Alex Okafor (97) during the first half of an NFL football game in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) is tackled by Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Alex Okafor (97) and defensive tackle Xavier Williams, right, during the first half of an NFL football game in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh talks on his headset during the first half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
OLB Matt Judon, LB Kenny Young
RB Gus Edwards
QB Lamar Jackson
QB Lamar Jackson
RB Mark Ingram II
RB Mark Ingram II
QB Lamar Jackson
T Orlando Brown Jr.
G/C Matt Skura, G/C Bradley Bozeman
OLB Matt Judon
S Earl Thomas III, CB Marlon Humphrey
S Chuck Clark
LB Pernell McPhee
TE Nick Boyle
QB Lamar Jackson
RB Mark Ingram II
Ravens team huddle
QB Lamar Jackson
RB Mark Ingram II
RB Gus Edwards
LB Pernell McPhee
WR Seth Roberts
OLB Tyus Bowser
RB Mark Ingram II
ILB Patrick Onwuasor
QB Lamar Jackson
WR Willie Snead IV
P Sam Koch
QB Lamar Jackson
WR Chris Moore
QB Lamar Jackson
RB Gus Edwards
K Justin Tucker
WR Willie Snead IV
WR Willie Snead IV
WR Willie Snead IV
RB Gus Edwards
RB Mark Ingram II
S Earl Thomas III
S Earl Thomas and LB Kenny Young
WR Marquise "Hollywood" Brown
