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Denny Hamlin Frustrated by ‘Loophole’ to Otherwise ‘Perfect Game’ Following Wild Chiefs-Bills Thriller

NASCAR racer and part-owner Denny Hamlin vented on Twitter about the “loophole” in the otherwise “perfect game” he saw between the Chiefs and Bills on Sunday.

The Chiefs escaped a determined Buffalo team to win 42-36 in overtime. Both teams put many points on the board in the fourth quarter’s final minutes to make for some overtime action. 

Many related with the NASCAR driver, while others said it was up to the Bills to play defense in the waning seconds of the fourth quarter.

But the driver and many other fans were in awe of the game’s thrills. Hamlin later Tweeted, “But holy s*!t what a game.”

Hamlin Stirs the NFL Pot Among Racing Fans

The No. 11 Toyota FedEx driver got almost 3,000 Twitter likes when he made his statement about the game. Basically, many fans don’t want a coin toss to determine ball ownership in overtime. 

It was a constant argument that fans tossed out on social media after the enjoyable battle.

With the current rules, fans hate that the first team to score wins, and many would rather see a full quarter played. It’s kind of like what they do in college football, but the NFL prides itself on being different than the college system.

William Stafford shared the sentiment of many fans when he posted, “Totally agree. Game should not end on coin flip. Both teams should get at least one set of downs.”

NASCAR’s Points System Pretty Frustrating Over The Years

Denny Hamlin knows how frustrating the rules can be for a professional sports league. He’s constantly working to make NASCAR’s 10-race playoff system each season. Even if you get into the playoffs, one race can throw off your chances at the title.

NASCAR’s points system has changed a few times over the years. Many champions came due to having raced the most miles or earning the most money.

According to USA Today, Denny Hamlin’s an outspoken critic at times in NASCAR. He had some issues in 2020 when fellow driver Kevin Harvick failed to make NASCAR’s Final Four. 

Now, with the newest iteration of the points system, you can win many races and still not make the playoffs. At the same time, you can race all season without winning (or win one race like 2003 Cup champ Matt Kenseth) and make/win the playoffs. So, it can be crazy at times.

Those rules can hurt a competing driver, too. A late last-lap crash can deprive a racer of the necessary points to overtake another driver as well. Denny Hamlin’s seen it.

Or look at another sketchy NASCAR rule. If you lead and rain ends the race, you can win. Look at Bubba Wallace’s first NASCAR Cup Series win in October at Talladega. Wallace was in the lead when rain moved in and shortened the race from 188 laps to 117. Hey, a win’s a win, but shortened races always get in the craw of NASCAR fans. 

I’m still trying to get over Trevor Bayne’s 2011 Daytona win. It was David Ragan’s race to win, but he got black-flagged for changing lanes before the start/finish line as a three-car accident happened. Bayne got out ahead and became the youngest ever to win NASCAR’s premier race. 

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