Broncos players say refs admit they missed crucial call late in 'Monday Night Football' thriller

Dustin Bradford / Stringer

Sensational quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs remain undefeated after notching a fourth-quarter comeback against the Denver Broncos, but referees admitted that a key play from the Chiefs' game-winning drive should have never happened.

• Quarterback Patrick Mahomes led the Kansas City Chiefs to a stunning comeback victory against the Denver Broncos Monday night.
• According to a report from ESPN's Jeff Legwold, the referees admitted to missing a crucial call against the Chiefs during their game-winning drive that could have halted their comeback bid.
• This is the second time in as many weeks that the Broncos have been adversely affected by a controversial call.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes lived up to his "Showtime" nickname Monday night, leading a fourth-quarter comeback and sealing the 27-23 victory over the Denver Broncos on the road.

But according to a report from ESPN's Jeff Legwold, Broncos players said the referees admitted to missing a crucial call against the Chiefs during their game-winning drive that could have halted their comeback bid.

On third-and-7 just before the two-minute warning and four plays before the Chiefs scored the go-ahead touchdown, Mahomes peeled to his right and hit a wide-open Demetrius Harris for a 35-yard gain and a first down. But Broncos players and fans were furious that the pass that teed up the game-winning run ever happened. On replay, it's evident that Kansas City snapped the ball after the play clock had hit zero, meaning the Chiefs should have been charged with a delay-of-game penalty.

Check out a slow-mo of the snap below:

Whether or not the electric Mahomes could have sustained the drive after the penalty remains unclear, but Denver sought answers from Craig Wrolstad and his officiating crew after the game.

"It definitely was at zero. The replay showed that," Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall told Legwold. "The ref told us that the ref that was supposed to be watching it just missed it. ... He told us that. The ref told us the guy that was supposed to be watching the clock just missed it. So maybe he got caught up in watching the game because it was a good game, but you've got to do your job. Come on, that was huge. That was big."

Cornerback Chris Harris Jr. said he received the same explanation from Wrolstad:

"It was zero seconds on the clock forever, and [you] can't review it," Harris Jr. said. "I asked everything. If a ref messed up on a call, you should be able to fix it. Dude, look how long the clock was on zero. That's not why we lost the game - but that was a huge, huge no-call."

Denver head coach Vance Joseph expressed frustration over the play during his postgame interview:

This marks the second time in as many weeks that the Broncos have been adversely affected by questionable calls. In the second quarter of Denver's Week-3 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens, rookie running back Phillip Lindsay dove to recover a fumble and was ejected for throwing a punch while in the pile.

Fans alleged the undrafted rookie was simply trying to shake his hand free. You can check out the play for yourself below: 

The Broncos sit just below Mahomes and his undefeated Kansas City squad in the AFC West standings. They'll travel to Metlife Stadium on Sunday looking to take down the New York Jets and rise above .500.