Good news, Chiefs fans! The referee for Kansas City’s AFC Divisional round game against the Buffalo Bills will be none other than Shawn Hochuli. This is certainly a positive development for the Chiefs, as they have had a great track record with Hochuli officiating their games.
In the Patrick Mahomes era, Hochuli has officiated 10 of the Chiefs’ games, and they have an impressive 8-2 record in those contests. Furthermore, in the playoffs, Kansas City is undefeated at 2-0 with Hochuli as the referee. This bodes well for their upcoming matchup against the Bills.
This season, Hochuli has been in charge of officiating two Chiefs games, both of which resulted in victories for Kansas City over the New England Patriots and the Denver Broncos. This further solidifies the notion that the Chiefs have had success under Hochuli’s watch.
However, while this news is undoubtedly exciting for Chiefs fans, it may not be as favorable for the Buffalo Bills. The Bills have struggled when Hochuli has been the referee, accumulating 40 penalties for 347 yards in the last four games he officiated. This includes their overtime loss to the Philadelphia Eagles earlier this season.
In that particular game, Hochuli called 11 penalties against the Bills, one more than he called against the Patriots in two games. It’s worth noting that the Bills had the sixth-most yards penalized under a Hochuli-led crew this year. This information suggests that the Bills have had difficulties when Hochuli is officiating their games.
“Hochuli is known for calling a penalty-filled game,” wrote Chris Owen for WYRK radio’s website. He also highlighted a specific instance where Hochuli’s crew missed an obvious horse-collar tackle on Josh Allen, which could have resulted in a red zone touchdown for the Bills.
These statistics and incidents do not help the ongoing notion that the Chiefs receive preferential treatment from officials. In the two wins with Hochuli officiating, the Chiefs were only penalized nine times for 99 yards. This stark contrast raises questions about fairness and equal treatment on the field.
However, it’s essential to consider different perspectives on this matter. In October, Pete Grathoff of the Kansas City Star addressed the belief among fans that the Chiefs receive special treatment. He mentioned Dean Blandino, a former referee turned Fox Sports rules analyst, who stated that successful teams do not receive favorable calls consistently.
Blandino emphasized that over time, these things tend to even out. This viewpoint suggests that the Chiefs’ success and the penalties they receive may not be a result of bias but rather a natural fluctuation in officiating calls.
As the Chiefs prepare to face the Bills in the AFC Divisional round, the news of Shawn Hochuli being the referee brings both excitement and skepticism. Chiefs fans will hope for a fair and well-officiated game, while the Bills will need to overcome their previous struggles when Hochuli is on the field. Regardless of the outcome, this matchup promises to be an exciting and closely contested affair.
