The worst calls from Week 8: Chiefs get lucky and a Tush Push obituary

Through eight weeks of NFL football, I can safely say the prevailing narrative this season has been different from the last. Unlike in 2024, we have not spent each and every week discussing whether the Kansas City Chiefs get the benefit of the doubt more often than their opponents. That's thanks in part to the Chiefs not winning as many games in the first half of the season. Kansas City is coming on strong, and I can assure you there are still fans who assume each of their games is rigged in the Chiefs' favor, but the math doesn't add up this time around.

Earlier this season, I gave those same fans a stark reminder that, thus far this season, the Chiefs haven't gotten the calls. Last season, we dispelled rumors of a Taylor Swift conspiracy theory. We'll continue to write the story, as is our job, when called upon. The Chiefs are in the midst of a dynasty. It should come as no surprise that rival fanbases assume they're in the officials' pocket. That comes with the territory, just ask Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.

Thankfully for those same fans, we have some rage-bait from Week 8. Not only did the Chiefs get a call in their favor in a likely win over the Washington Commanders on Monday night, but the Eagles' Tush Push disaster was on full display.

Aaron Rodgers had a point in Steelers loss to the Packers

Disregard what Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers were wearing on Sunday night. I have thoughts on those horrendous uniforms, and given their effort matched the style, they ought to ditch those throwbacks entirely. In Rodgers' rematch against his longtime team, he ran into a roadblock in the second half. Sure, the Steelers had a two-possession lead heading into the break, but they scored just 10 points in the next 30 minutes of play. It didn't help that in the first possession of the second half – as Rodgers looked to extend the Steelers' lead – he didn't get the benefit of the doubt on a clear neutral zone infraction.

I am not your average Rodgers defender. But at this age, if there is anything he knows, it's his own snap count. Heck, he was playing the Packers! If any defense was going to be exposed by Rodgers' snap count, it was bound to be Green Bay's. Again, the Packers dominated Pittsburgh in the second half. One five-yard penalty wouldn't have made much of a difference in the grand scheme of things, but you'd be surprised by the difference five free yards can make for this Pittsburgh offense. When behind the chains, Rodgers and the Steelers are toast. In a third-and-short, Arthur Smith's playbook is wide open.

The worst tush push call of the season should put an end to the madness

How many times do I need to highlight the tush push? Jason Kelce cried to keep the play in rotation for the Eagles this season. Jeffrey Lurie spoke up at the owners' meeting as well. The play is part of the Eagles' identity, and it's easy to see why. This team is built from the inside out. They win battles at the line of scrimmage, thus their identity on offense has everything to do with a play based solely on that. It's not rocket science.

On Sunday, though, the Eagles received the benefit of the doubt once again. Against the New York Giants, of all teams, Philadelphia fumbled on the tush push. However, Jalen Hurts was ruled down by contact on a quarterback sneak.

Hurts was still churning his feet, thus the play wasn't over. It really is that simple for the officiating crew. If the tush push is a legal play, they need to let that play finish. The Giants stripped Hurts of the ball, and it should've served as a warning against using the tush push on any given short-yardage play. Instead, the refs bailed the Eagles out, which has been a theme the last few weeks.

Oh no, the Chiefs got away with one

The Chiefs handily defeated the Washington Commanders on Monday night. Washington was without Jayden Daniels, so Marcus Mariota was tasked with beating the defending AFC Champions. That was never going to happen, and the Chiefs had the officials' help in the first half.

The officials decided this wasn't a first down from the Commanders. Given Mariota was their quarterback, Washington didn't have much margin for error. Thus, the fact that a quick replay confirmed this brutal decision from the officiating crew is tough to believe. I am all for quicker choices, and less wasted time during what's already expected to be a three-plus hour game, but if a few extra minutes will get the call right...what are we doing?

Obviously is a word I wouldn't use when discussing NFL officiating. Yet, here we are. The spot was bad in the first place, and the quick review only made it worse. As it pertains to calls on the field, it takes a lot to overturn that decision. The Commanders found that out the hard way, and it certainly didn't help their first-half display against a heavily-favored Chiefs team.

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