The Kansas City Chiefs made life harder for themselves in Super Bowl 55 as they committed several preventable errors. Head coach Andy Reid's squad committed a total of eight penalties in the first half alone which resulted in 95 yards, via The Athletic.
In the second quarter, Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu was able to get an interception but was eventually nullified due to a holding call on cornerback Charvarius Ward who was defending wide receiver Mike Evans.
The Chiefs' defense was able to hold its ground as Kansas City forced the Buccaneers to kick a 40-yard field goal instead. However, the attempt was nullified once again as Chiefs receiver Mecole Hardman was called for an offside penalty which resulted in a first down for the Bucs.
Quarterback Tom Brady capitalized on the extra possession as he located tight end Rob Gronkowski for a 17-yard touchdown to give themselves a 14-3 lead over the Chiefs. After the game, Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones rued how the call ultimately changed the complexion of the game.
“Penalties can change the game,” Jones said. “I tipped the pass, Tyrann caught it and it was a holding call. That interception could’ve changed the game. This is the Super Bowl. Usually you let the guys play, especially in the biggest game of the year. It does affect your aggression.”
However, Chiefs defensive end Frank Clark begged to disagree and gave credit to their opponents who evidently outplayed them on the field.
“You can play the ref part if you want,” Clark said. “It’s a fair win, man. Tampa Bay won.”
The contest ended in a 31-9 defeat for the Chiefs as the Buccaneers snagged their second Super Bowl title in franchise history. Hopefully for the Chiefs, Chris Jones and the rest of the team can learn their lessons from the loss and come back stronger next season.
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