Overreaction Monday: Refs explanation defending Chiefs no-call will infuriate fans

Late in Sunday night's game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Atlanta Falcons coach Raheem Morris made a bold decision to go for it on fourth down inside the red zone. On the play, Kirk Cousins tried to find tight end Kyle Pitts in the endzone, but tight coverage from Chiefs safety Bryan Cook took away any opportunity.

A quick replay raised suspicion among the Falcons fanbase that the officials had missed pass interference on Kansas City, as Cook never turned his head to make contact with the football. Here is the play in question.

NFL officials have frustrating answer for Chiefs late no-call

The Chiefs have played three games this season, but have faced questions about the officiating after each and every one of them. Just last week, a misleading statistic painted Patrick Mahomes as the frequent beneficiary of penalties which have eliminated his mistakes. That doesn't tell the entire story -- since many of Mahomes turnovers came in situations he knew he had a free play -- but the narrative is less than ideal for a Chiefs team in search of its third straight Super Bowl.

The explanation from officials on Sunday night won't help matters, either.

"That is a real-time call that officials have to make a judgment on," referee Tra Blake said. "From the angle they had at the time, they did not feel there was a foul committed."

Unfortunately, refs always have an out for pass interference calls

Blake continued by defending his associates, saying they "do the best they can," but because pass interference isn't reviewable, it's a judgement call. Even if said official makes the wrong call, it still isn't pass interference, because how could it be?

All of this is frustrating for so many reasons, namely that referees are able to use the lack of replay review as an excuse, and fail to take any accountability. By calling a decision a 'judgement call', it provides them with an out that can't possibily be questions thanks to a distinct lack of checks and balances in the rulebook.

If the NFL wants to get this right in future seasons -- and that's a big if, given the NFL Referees Association is a powerful partner of the league -- they should institute some sort of review system for so-called judgement calls. Such a system is in place in the NBA, and it works perfectly well and rarely slows the game down.