The screwy status of replay review for pass interference is starting to screw up the rulings made without the benefit of another look.
In the second quarter of Sunday’s Texans-Chiefs game, Houston defensive back Tashaun Gipson intercepted Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the end zone. But the turnover was negated by a ruling on the field of pass interference.
Then, without replay review, the officials decided that the interference happened before the ball was in the air, making the foul defensive holding. So they picked up the flag for pass interference -- and they didn’t drop a flag for defensive holding. Which gave possession to the Texans, via the pick.
That’s exactly what would have happened if the ruling on the field had been subject to replay review. But that shouldn’t be the outcome when the officials on the field caucus regarding the right decision to be made as part of the first look. With the benefit of discussion among the officials, they should have changed the initial call of interference to holding.
Hopefully, there will at least be a pool report from the referee on what happened with that play, especially since the Texans parlayed the interception into an 80-yard touchdown drive.