INGLEWOOD, Calif.– Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa ripped into the officials in Monday night’s 28-14 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, calling them “blind” after he was hit with a potentially costly penalty late in the fourth quarter.
“I didn’t even know they called the f—ing penalty on me because I was fuming,” Bosa said, “but I mean refs are blind, simple. I’m sorry but you’re blind, like open your eyes and do your job it’s so bad it’s unbelievable.
Bosa received an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty with 3:59 left in the game for arguing over a missed call. The penalty gave the Raiders the ball at the Chargers’ 48 yard line down 14 points.
“Obviously that’s on me,” Bosa admitted. “I should never lose my temper like that but these guys have got to do a better job because it’s been years of terrible missed calls left and right. It’s really pathetic, honestly, but pathetic on me too for doing what I did. Call or not I have to take a step back and just go to the next play, but man they seem not to have their eyes open half the time.”
The call didn’t end up costing the Chargers as two plays later, Derwin James intercepted Derek Carr to all but seal the victory. James said the play made up for the 51-yard pass he gave up earlier in the quarter to Henry Ruggs III.
“That 4.2 speed,” got me, James said.
The Chargers’ defense limited the Raiders to 213 total offensive yards as they pulled into a first-place tie with Las Vegas and Denver in the AFC West.
Head coach Brandon Staley said, “it’s early,” adding there are a lot of good teams in the division.