KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Carrington Valentine looked like he was trying to get a piggyback ride from Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
There were less than 20 seconds remaining when the Green Bay Packers cornerback wrapped his left arm around the Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver’s neck from behind.
Valentine clattered awkwardly into Valdes-Scantling’s back as Patrick Mahomes’ deep throw on a post route came from the night sky inside Lambeau Field.
Valdes-Scantling started to stumble, like a parent stunned by a toddler’s backside ambush, as Valentine’s arm came down on his left arm, then knocked the ball away.
— wow that was crazy (@CowardlyDoggo) December 4, 2023
After getting his head smashed into the Frozen Tundra when Valentine completed his assault, Valdes-Scantling looked toward the back judge, sure he’d see a yellow penalty marker nearby on the field.
But there wasn’t one, and Kansas City took a third loss in the last five games on the chin.
What did Valdes-Scantling see?
“I couldn’t see anything,” Valdes-Scantling said, “because I was on the ground.”
Should it have been flagged for pass interference?
“I don’t know, man, it’s up to the officials,” Valdes-Scantling said. “I can’t control what they do or don’t do.”
There’s no guarantee the Chiefs would have scored, succeeded on a two-point conversion and won in overtime, but we’ll never know if a penalty there could have changed the outcome.
Did Andy Reid get an explanation?
“You know what, Adam?” Reid said, addressing ESPN’s Adam Teicher before pausing to ponder the fine and terse letter that surely would come if he spoke his mind. “No, I didn’t.”
It was a blatant missed call, but Kansas City took the high road after the game.
One call doesn’t decide a game. Penalties in key moments, Mahomes’ interception and the defense’s struggles to get off the field in the first half deserve plenty of blame, too.
“I ain’t going to blame this thing on anybody but ourselves, man,” tight end Travis Kelce said.
Mahomes, at least publicly, also refused to chastise the officials.
“The guy was probably a little early, but at the end of the game, they’re letting guys play,” he said. “I’m kind of about that. I’d rather you let the guys play and let the guys win it on the field. It’s a hard job, but, when we’re in that situation, I can’t be wanting a flag.”
As he did when Valdes-Scantling dropped a possible go-ahead touchdown late in a loss two weeks ago against Philadelphia, Mahomes took the onus on himself — a better throw makes it a moot point.
“I know I was kind of falling back ... but if I can get the ball out there then he scores a touchdown in that situation,” Mahomes said. “You don’t want flags. I’ve got to make the throw. If I make the throw, then I wouldn’t be wanting a flag.”
The Chiefs lost their season-opener with Kelce sidelined and defensive tackle Chris Jones sitting out, then rattled off six straight wins.
A loss in Denver with a sick Mahomes followed before a win in Germany against AFC front-runners Miami, the loss to the Eagles and the second-half destruction of Las Vegas.
But the topsy-turvy season continued with Sunday’s loss at Lambeau Field.
“It’s my job,” Mahomes said. “If the defense gives me a chance to win the game, I have to go down there and win it with my teammates. Obviously, I haven’t done that enough this season, so I have to try and get better because I’m sure we’ll have more opportunities as the season goes along.”
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