Officials' bad calls in Broncos game highlighted by a phantom false start

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Dec 26, 2025 - 21:30
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Officials' bad calls in Broncos game highlighted by a phantom false start

NFL referee Bill Vinovich and his officiating crew made several questionable calls during the Christmas Day showdown between the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday.

The most egregious call was guard Ben Powers being penalized for a false start, negating an offside penalty for the Chiefs. The replay showed that Powers did not even flinch. It may have been a case of mistaken identity, with officials confusing Powers with fellow guard Quinn Meinerz, because Powers did not make a false start:

Later in the game, cornerback Pat Surtain was called for pass interference on an overthrown pass that went way out of bounds. PS2 could have avoided the penalty by not making unnecessary contact, but the flag shouldn't have been thrown in the first place.

Another absurd penalty came when tight end Evan Engram was called for offensive pass interference. Engram and the defender made mutual contact, then the tight end did a soft "push-off" that triggered the flag:

Denver ended the game with five penalties for 57 yards. Kansas City's first penalty didn't come until late in the fourth quarter, and it proved to be costly. Facing 4th-and-2, the Broncos lined up in a wildcat formation with RJ Harvey in the backfield. Fullback Adam Prentice went in motion and defensive lineman Chris Jones jumped offside, gifting Denver a first down. The Broncos went on to score a touchdown, sealing a 20-13 win.

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This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: NFL: Ben Powers false start highlights bad calls in Broncos' game

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