How did Chiefs safety avoid late pass interference flag? What he said in locker room

Kansas City Chiefs defender Bryan Cook was credited with a pass breakup on a late third-down pass intended for Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts.

Was the Chiefs safety, however, actually able to avoid pass interference on the play?

“I tried my best,” Cook told The Star in the locker room following KC’s 22-17 win. “Obviously, your back is turned, so I don’t know when the ball’s coming. At that point, I’m just trying to play the hands.”

The incompletion caused a stir among non-Chiefs fans — especially ones who subscribe to the conspiracy theory that KC gets extra referee help late.

Things didn’t play out that way much of the rest of the fourth quarter. On the Falcons’ final drive, for example, the Chiefs’ Chamarri Conner and Trent McDuffie were both flagged for penalties that NBC’s analysts questioned during the broadcast.

“Obviously, I know we got called, what, three flags beforehand? So the odds weren’t in our favor,” Cook said with a smile. “But luckily, they didn’t call it (on third down).”

After the game, referee Tra Blake was asked about the non-flag by a pool reporter, saying, “That is a real-time call that officials have to make a judgment on. From the angle that they had at the time, they did not feel that there was a foul committed.”

There was no controversy surrounding Cook’s execution on the next snap.

On fourth-and-5 from the Chiefs’ 6-yard line, KC sent an all-out blitz, leaving man coverage across with no safety help.

Cook remained attached to receiver Drake London, shadowing him before quarterback Kirk Cousins’ pass fell incomplete in the end zone.

Because the Chiefs were bringing pressure, Cook said he was anticipating a quick route.

“I guess the quarterback was banking on him beating me inside,” Cook said. “So the ball came low, which was in my favor, too.”

Cook said his strategy on both downs was similar. He was looking to take away the quick slant while trying to anticipate where Cousins might go pre-snap, based on the Chiefs’ alignment.

“It resulted in a good play for us on both of those downs actually,” Cook said. “We were able to get off the field, which is huge at that time.”

KC’s fourth-down stand with 4:04 left set up a final game-saving stop in the last minute. Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton made the big play then, bursting upfield to stop running back Bijan Robinson on a fourth-and-1 carry.

“That play was definitely clutch,” Cook said. “That’s what we talk about in the meeting room as far as, in some of those situations on critical downs in short yardage when you get a chance, just shoot your shot.”

Cook, meanwhile, was one of the Chiefs’ defensive standouts Sunday. He tied for second on the team with eight tackles while posting the team’s fifth-highest Pro Football Focus grade on defense.

He still wasn’t content afterward. Though he helped force the two late incompletions, Cook vowed to “go back to the drawing board” after watching film this week to “be able to feel better in the same position.”

“I could probably get a pick the next time,” Cook said. “You never know.”

And as for the third-down breakup? Cook said things happen fast in the red zone, and sometimes you’re just forced to read the receiver’s movements when you can’t get your head around to the ball.

“It’s harder when the receiver’s jumping into you. It’s not a defensive league. That’s basically what I’m trying to say,” Cook said. “I just have to do the best I can.”