A replay review kept the Indianapolis Colts’ overtime possession alive against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night when it overturned a call that wide receiver Laquon Treadwell had fumbled before the Chiefs went on. beat the Colts 33-30 in overtime.
Kansas City had hit a field goal on the first drive of overtime to go up 30-27. Indianapolis needed a touchdown to win, and a scoreless possession would end the game.
Daniel Jones completed a 48-yard pass to Treadwell that moved the ball to the Kansas City 17. Nohl Williams fumbled the ball, and the Chiefs recovered it and celebrated.
The game was judged on the field. If the call had been over, Kansas City would have won 30-27.
Why wasn’t it a mistake?
Officials reviewed the play and overturned the call.
Andy Reid looks at the video board near the officials during the Chiefs’ 33-30 win over the Colts on Sunday night. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)
The question was whether Treadwell had control of the ball when a Chiefs defender touched him for the first time. He hit the ball during the catch and contact before he had control would not end the play.
Upon further review, officials determined that the linebacker touched Treadwell in the groin after gaining control, that his knee then hit the ground, and that the ball went out after that.
In the NFL, a running back is knocked down by contact when a defender touches him and part of his body other than his hands or feet hits the ground, so the play is over before Williams releases the ball. The result was a 48-yard completion and Indianapolis kept the ball at the Kansas City 17.
What happened next?
The Colts kept their offense on the field, then took a timeout and sent out the field goal unit. Spencer Shrader made a 38-yard field goal to tie the game at 30-30 with 3:11 left in overtime.
Kansas City then drove from its own 32 and won 33-30 on a 40-yard field goal by Harrison Butker as time expired.