Ref: Chase flagged for language that crossed line

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Bengals star receiver Ja’Marr Chase was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct within the fourth quarter of Cincinnati’s 26-25 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday following an interplay that officers mentioned crossed the road.

Referee Alex Kemp, who threw the flag, mentioned in a pool report after the sport that Chase believed he was taken down by Kansas Metropolis cornerback Trent McDuffie with a hip-drop sort out, a controversial maneuver that was banned this offseason due to the harm threat the play presents.

In accordance with Kemp, Chase’s questioning of the play led to an trade that produced “abusive language” that went far past any dissent over a perceived missed name.

“The straightforward reply is, profanity utilized by grown males versus direct, private abusive language in the direction of a recreation official,” Kemp mentioned when requested concerning the distinction between disagreement and abuse. “That is the road. When that line will get crossed, we merely cannot let that occur in professional soccer.”

Chase, who completed with 4 catches on 5 targets for 35 yards, declined to touch upon the penalty after the sport.

The trade occurred after Chase was tackled following a 4-yard achieve that might have given Cincinnati a third-and-7 at Kansas Metropolis’s 30-yard line. As a substitute, the Bengals have been penalized 15 yards and the drive finally resulted in a subject aim.

Quarterback Joe Burrow tried to restrain Chase and push him away from Kemp earlier than the flag was thrown. Burrow did {that a} second time after Chase continued to specific his disagreement after he was penalized.

“Simply making an attempt to deescalate the scenario,” Burrow mentioned. “I am not completely positive what was mentioned or who threw the flag.”

It was one of some second-half miscues that ended up costing Cincinnati and resulted within the crew’s fifth 0-2 begin up to now six years.

Burrow, who was 23-of-36 passing for 258 yards and a couple of touchdowns, misplaced a fumble that Kansas Metropolis’s Chamarri Conner returned for a 38-yard rating on the third play of the fourth quarter. The Chase penalty occurred on the following drive that ended with Evan McPherson‘s 53-yard subject aim that gave the Bengals a 25-23 lead with 9:28 remaining.

That margin held till the very finish of the sport. Cincinnati rookie defensive again Daijahn Anthony was penalized for defensive cross interference on a fourth-and-16 cross that fell incomplete and would have ended the sport. Anthony wasn’t made out there after the sport, however his teammates didn’t discover a lot fault along with his effort on the play.

However the accumulation of all these issues performed a job in Cincinnati’s third straight loss to Kansas Metropolis relationship again to the 2022 AFC Championship Recreation. Earlier than that, the Bengals had gained three straight video games in opposition to the Chiefs, together with the 2021 convention championship.

“Simply bought to be taught from the errors and transfer on,” Chase mentioned.

The fourth-year participant out of LSU has had a tumultuous 12 months. He didn’t take part in coaching camp practices due to a contract dispute. On Saturday night time, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Chase believed the Bengals misled him about a potential contract extension that has not materialized. Chase additionally took out a $50 million insurance coverage coverage on himself in case he suffers an harm this season, in response to Schefter.

The perceived hip-drop sort out on the middle of Chase’s interplay with Kemp has resulted in an harm price 20 instances larger than that of different tackles, in response to NFL information.

“We knowledgeable him that we didn’t really feel it was a hip-drop sort out,” Kemp mentioned within the pool report.