Denver Broncos rookie Damarri Mathis couldn't stop being flagged against the Los Angeles Chargers, and it cost his side as they lost 19-16 as SoFi Stadium.
In a close game that went the distance, first downs were a struggle as both Russell Wilson and Justin Herbert were far from their best. But Mathis gifted the Chargers a first down and significant yardage of four seperate occasions, beginning with the very first play of the game.
In what turned out to be one of the most penalised games in Broncos history, Mathis was adjudged to have committed pass interference of four occasions, as the rookie desperately looked to make his mark. Mathis has big shoes to fill by filling in for the injured Ronald Darby, but it was a tough night for the youngster.
His first offence was a deep pass from Herbert to Josh Palmer, but on this occasion it didn't cost them anything as the resulting drive ended in a punt. But the second and third both game on the same drive, which allowed the Chargers to initially tie the game at 10-10.
There were some great moments for Mathis too, with the rookie breaking up Herbert's passes late on to leave Broncos in a good position to snatch a win. However, one final penalty followed, and it came with just five minutes left in the match.
Herbert was facing a vital third down, with eight yards still to go and very little time remaining. But Mathis' flag bailed them out, and one final field goal ensured the game went to overtime - where the Chargers finally won the match.
151 total penalty yards were recorded for the Broncos, which is the most they have picked up since 1976. It was also a close second franchise record, but that's not exactly surprising this season.
The Broncos have been flagged 24 times in just six games this season, which is the most of any team in the NFL. Mathis's total came to 87 from their 151 tally on Monday night, which is the fifth-most by an NFL player in a single game since 2000.
A reflective Mathis said after the game: “I have to have better technique." But head coach Nathaniel Hackett didn't pin blame on Mathis, and instead spread responsibility across the team
"I'm gonna have to go back and look at those and see where they came from, how they happened and how we can hopefully prevent more of those," Hackett said of the many penalties after the game. "We've been harping on those quite a bit. We've gotta play cleaner football across the board."
The Broncos are now 2-4, and face the New York Jets and the Jacksonville Jaguars before their bye week. The Chargers on the other hand are 4-2, and face the Seattle Seahawks before getting a week-long rest.
