The NFL this year made a change after the Chiefs beat the Bills in the playoffs, instituting a virtual first-down system that’s pushed the chain gang to the second team.
This came after the Bills and their fans thought Josh Allen had picked up a first down on a sneak in the AFC Championship Game. Officials ruled otherwise, and the outcry was heard by the NFL.
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As a result, the league has started using Hawk-Eye technology to see if players picked up a first down, and it came into play Friday during the Chiefs’ preseason game against the Seahawks.
Chiefs fullback Carson Steele was ruled to have been 13 inches short of the line to gain on a fourth-down play at Lumen Field.
It wasn’t a particularly quick process, and one can’t help but wonder if the rain played a part in the delay. Fans noticed how long it took to get an answer about whether a first down was achieved, and they weren’t happy.
Here is the virtual measurement in action.
The other NFL rule to come from the Chiefs beating the Bills in the playoffs? It was the change to overtime in the postseason that ensures both teams get the ball. That came after the epic “13 seconds” game.