The first NFL regular season game in Mexico since 2005 had everything one could’ve asked for and maybe more.
Botched calls from the referees, intensity, late touchdowns and a few controversial decisions. Stellar quarterback play on one side (Oakland) and a putrid performance on the other one (Houston). Star players making an impact, while others couldn’t thrive. But there were a few takeaways that are worth mentioning.
Even though they probably didn’t mean to, there’s no question the referees had an impact on the game. And it seemed all the controversial calls went against the Texans. The first one was a TD run from Lamar Miller that didn’t count because the running back went out of bounds. That’s understable, and those mistakes always happen. But the biggest mistake came in the fourth quarter when Houston had a fourth-and-one situation and turned over the football even though the replay showed they got the first down.
Referees make mistakes all the time, and it’s common for fans to complain about them. But making these mistakes in extreme altitude conditions? After all, let’s not forget Mexico City is well over 2500 mts above sea level. And some players clearly felt the effects of the altitude, as the likes of Lamar Miller and C.J. Fiedorowicz asked for oxygen during the fourth quarter.
Unfortunately the fans deserve a separate paragraph for their behavior. The whole stadium was clearly rooting for the Raiders, but they went too far a couple of times. Everything started when the fans chanted “Puto” every time Houston kicked the ball. But during the second quarter the fans were pointing at Brock Osweiler with a laser bean. It resembled the atmosphere of a soccer match, and I’m sure the NFL officials didn’t like that.
The last point could a key in analyzing the future of the league abroad. We all know the league wants to expand as much as possible, but at the same time the NFL has strict regulations when it comes to behavior of the fans and safety. And Mexico wasn’t up to the task in that area. The game was entertaning and the fans are certainly happy, but it remains to be seen whether the league will return to Mexico in the coming years.
The smart money would be on “no” unless the fans behave better in the future.