Refs' ruling in Bucs-Saints proves NFL screwed Chargers on TNF vs Chiefs

The LA Chargers fell short against the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday Night Football in a game where the Chargers looked like the better team for 80% of the 60 minutes.

The big difference in the game was the fact that the Chargers came away with zero interceptions when Patrick Mahomes really should have thrown three or four. Meanwhile, Justin Herbert's one miscue ended up being an interception at the goal-line that turned into a pick-six.

There were two interceptions, in particular, that irked Chargers fans the most. The first was called back on a horrible penalty on the Chargers where Bryce Callahan was thrown to the ground. The second was overturned by review as the referees decided that Asante Samuel Jr. did not gain possession of the ball. The Chiefs scored a touchdown on both drives.

There was a very similar interception in Sunday's game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints. Jamel Dean fell on the ball, the tip hit the ground, and there was some loose ball movement as he tucked it into his chest.

This play also went to review. After seeing the Chargers' interception get overturned, Saints fans had to assume that the league would make the same ruling on a nearly identical interception in this game, right? Wrong. The interception was confirmed.

This decision proves that the NFL screwed the Chargers on TNF against the Chiefs.

When seeing the interception in slow motion it is clear that it is pretty much exactly what happened in Samuel's should-have-been interception on Thursday. It would be extremely interesting to hear an explanation as to why this interception stood but the other did not.

It would be one thing if Samuel's interception was ruled incomplete on the field. Then, the league could say they did not have enough evidence to overturn the call. However, since both plays were ruled an interception on the play, it is hard to justify how one stands and the other is overturned.

Many Chargers fans are pointing out the quarterbacks that were involved in each game. In the Chargers' case, the call was overturned and it favored Patrick Mahomes. In the Buccaneers' case, the interception was confirmed and it favored Tom Brady.

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For what it's worth, both plays were interceptions. The NFL got it right in the Saints-Bucs game but by doing so, they opened a can of worms after Thursday's controversial decision.