The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs secured one other nail-biting victory in Week 2, beating the Cincinnati Bengals in an exciting 26-25 Sunday afternoon matchup. As has typically been the case between these two AFC rivals, the sport got here right down to the wire, with Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker nailing the game-winning 51-yard discipline purpose as time expired.
“I can’t say sufficient about Butker and that kick,” head coach Andy Reid stated postgame. “He’s so dependable, and we simply recognize how he goes about his enterprise. Nearly as good a kicker as he’s, he’s an excellent higher particular person. I recognize him all the way in which round.”
It wasn’t Kansas Metropolis’s cleanest efficiency, as self-inflicted errors all through the sport culminated with them trailing 25-23 with lower than two minutes remaining within the fourth quarter. Three turnovers — together with two interceptions by quarterback Patrick Mahomes —put the Chiefs in a gap, however they managed to mount a vital last drive, which arrange Butker’s go-ahead discipline purpose. The shut victory was a testomony to the workforce’s grit and big-game expertise.
“Till the time hits zero, there’s an opportunity you may win the soccer sport,” Mahomes defined. “We’ve finished that in so many various methods, so we’re ready. We are available with the mentality that if we get the soccer with an opportunity to win, we’re going to do it. We had been ready to do this at the moment.”
And whereas Mahomes admits to being nervous about not having the result straight positioned on his shoulders, he had full confidence in Butker’s capacity to execute when the workforce wanted him to essentially the most.
“I’m clearly nervous as a result of it’s out of my palms,” Mahomes admitted. “I don’t have an opportunity to go on the market and make a play. However on the similar time, like after I step on the sphere in that fourth quarter drive with two minutes or no matter it’s, and all I would like is a discipline purpose, I simply actually know I bought to cross the 50 and Harrison goes to go on the market and knock it by. It’s a particular factor to have a kicker like that. I’m tremendous appreciative of it, and he’s going to maintain making them.”
As for Butker, the pressure-packed second felt routine. Earlier than the ultimate kick, he already hit a 19-yard discipline purpose together with each of his additional level makes an attempt. The veteran kicker says he treats each kick with significance, which helps him keep composed when the stakes are excessive.
“Throughout observe, I attempt to put a ton of stress on myself,” Butker stated. “Coach Reid and coach [Dave] Toub do an incredible job with that. If I could make my set of eight kicks on Wednesdays and Thursdays for a Sunday sport, really feel like game-winners, and if I could make my 10 kicks going each methods in pregame warmups really feel like game-winners, then after I get to the game-winning second, nothing totally different ought to occur. I shouldn’t shock myself by hitting a foul or a very good kick. It needs to be the very same.”
After all, nothing can simulate the stress of hitting the clutch kick. Butker acknowledges the heightened focus that comes with a game-winner and says he simply tries to stay centered on executing one thing he’s finished on a constant foundation over the course of his eight-year profession.
“I believe if you end up driving down the sphere for a game-winning kick, my focus goes to be higher than every other kick that sport,” Butker famous. “I imply, it’s onerous to not be extra dialed in, so I might count on to have a greater kick for a game-winning kick being extra dialed in and locked in for that second.”
Shifting ahead, the Chiefs have some issues they should clear up however will gladly take the new 2-0 begin to the season, particularly after beating two of their greatest AFC rivals. Mahomes acknowledges the room for enchancment and hopes to play a a lot cleaner sport as they put together for subsequent week’s primetime matchup in opposition to the Atlanta Falcons.
“These are two nice soccer groups we performed these final two weeks,” Mahomes stated. “Groups we’ve performed in AFC championship video games and to have the ability to come out with wins at residence, that’s essential. Clearly, we really feel like we will get rather a lot higher, and so, we’re going to scrub up the errors. Particularly on the offense, it begins with me, and we will probably be a greater workforce ahead because the season goes on. It’ll be an incredible problem subsequent weekend on Sunday Evening Soccer in Atlanta.”
