In the early moments of the AFC Championship Game on Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs took a 7-0 lead over the Baltimore Ravens with a chance to compete in the NFL’s biggest stage on the line by competing for a possible Super Bowl.
The game is currently unfolding with Baltimore on the offensive—however, a controversy is brewing over an overlooked penalty in the previous play.
NFL NEWS & RUMORS: Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens Updates
Lamar Jackson, the quarterback for the Ravens, appeared to commit intentional grounding, a significant infraction. Despite this, the pass, which seemingly did not reach the line of scrimmage, went unnoticed by the officials on the field.
The NFL official rulebook states that Intentional grounding occurs when a quarterback, under immediate threat of being tackled for a loss by the defense, throws a forward pass with little to no likelihood of being caught. This is determined by whether the pass is aimed toward and lands near an initially eligible receiver. Such an infraction appeared to occur in the play, causing controversy.
NFL NEWS & RUMORS: Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens Updates
This potential oversight wasn’t just limited to the referees. CBS commentators Jim Nantz and Tony Romo also seemed to overlook the possibility of grounding during their coverage.
The impact of this missed call remains to be seen, mainly if it affects the outcome for the Chiefs, who currently lead midway through the first quarter. Fans can continue following the action on CBS, where the game is broadcast.
