Critics slam Patrick Mahomes for his controversial performance in the NFL play-offs, sparking debate among fans and analysts alike
Kansas City: So, there’s been quite a stir over Patrick Mahomes lately. He’s been getting some serious heat for what many are calling a ‘flop’ during the Chiefs’ playoff game against the Texans.
During the game, Mahomes had already seen the Texans get flagged for roughness. So, when he went down in the fourth quarter, it felt like he was trying to draw a penalty. Aikman pointed out that instead of just running out of bounds, Mahomes slowed down, which frustrated a lot of defensive players.
Even though the Texans didn’t get penalized for that particular play, social media exploded with fans expressing their annoyance. It didn’t help that there were already two calls earlier in the game that seemed unfair to the Texans.
Aikman was pretty vocal about his thoughts, saying he couldn’t agree with the penalties against the Texans. He felt Mahomes was acting like a runner, so the usual quarterback protections shouldn’t apply. Another ESPN rules expert backed him up, saying the Houston players didn’t even hit Mahomes; they just collided with each other.
Texans’ defensive end Will Anderson Jr. also had his own frustrations. He got flagged for roughing the passer on a play that didn’t even count, and he bluntly said it felt like it was them against the refs.
Interestingly, while players can be penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct, there’s no specific rule against flopping. Aikman thinks the NFL needs to tackle this issue in the offseason.
In the end, the Chiefs won 23-14, moving on to the AFC Championship game. They’re now eyeing a chance for a third Super Bowl win in a row, with Mahomes chasing his fourth title overall. Exciting times ahead!