If you watch a lot of NFL broadcasts like I do, you’ve probably noticed there’s a certain way broadcasters usually talk about the referees. They rarely criticize them directly, even when they seem wrong.

NFL fans were mortified by when referees levied an unnecessary roughness penalty on the Texans in the third quarter of Saturday’s AFC divisional round game against Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City — a game the Chiefs went on to win 23-14.