The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs clinched their ninth straight AFC West Division title with Sunday night time’s 19-17 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers. True to type for the Chiefs in 2024, the sport got here all the way down to a dramatic ending.
With one second left and the Chiefs trailing 17-16, newly-signed kicker Matthew Wright lined up for a 31-yard area objective. The snap was clear, the safety was good, and Wright’s kick had loads of distance — however the ball veered towards the left crossbar, producing the dreaded “doink.”
For a second, it appeared Kansas Metropolis’s luck had lastly run out. However in typical Kansas Metropolis trend, the ball nonetheless bounced by way of the uprights for the game-winner, marking their fifteenth consecutive win in one-possession video games.
“That’s not a simple factor,” head coach Andy Reid mentioned of one other division title. “Yearly is somewhat bit totally different on how we’ve gotten there. I’m pleased with our guys. We’re simply hanging in there. We’ve got so many tight video games, extra so than a few of these different years, and so the fellows preserve hanging in there and feeling like good issues are going to occur and preserve battling.”
The general sport itself was a grueling battle for Kansas Metropolis, marked by struggles on either side of the ball. The third quarter was particularly difficult, because the offense failed to attain whereas the protection surrendered two touchdowns, permitting the Chargers to take the lead.
Nonetheless, the Chargers gave the Chiefs a golden alternative late within the fourth quarter with a poorly executed kickoff that gave Kansas Metropolis beginning area place at their 40-yard line. From there, quarterback Patrick Mahomes labored his magic.
The signature play of the drive got here on third-and-7 on the Chargers’ 20-yard line. A defensive cease right here would have allowed Los Angeles to win the sport with a area objective of their very own. As a substitute, Mahomes, scrambling out of a bootleg, evaded a defender and located tight finish Travis Kelce for the primary down. With Los Angeles out of timeouts, the Chiefs have been capable of drain the clock and arrange Wright’s heroic kick.
Regardless of the dangers of passing the ball in that scenario, Reid trusted Mahomes to make one thing occur and put them ready to win the sport.
“I’ve belief in Pat (Mahomes) making these form of performs,” Reid mentioned. “He form of mentioned that earlier than the play, he goes, ‘I’ll make one thing occur.’”
Mahomes delivered, as that nine-yard move to Kelce completed his night time, finishing 24-of-37 passes for 210 yards and a landing. Recalling the essential play, Mahomes credited Kelce’s pure intuition to get himself open, particularly after they wanted him essentially the most.
“They did job of overlaying it,” Mahomes mentioned. “(Travis Kelce) simply performed ball and obtained himself open. I needed to get on the sting the place I might both fall down and let the clock preserve working or attempt to make a play with the simple kind of throw. We have been capable of finding a option to get that throw to Trav there and get the primary down.”
Now sitting at 12-1, the Chiefs flip their consideration to securing the AFC’s prime seed and the coveted first-round playoff bye. With the Buffalo Payments dropping to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, Kansas Metropolis now holds a two-game cushion within the race for first place.
“It’s our first objective each single 12 months—to win the AFC West,” Mahomes emphasised. “This can be a nice division with lots of rivalries the place everyone’s enjoying one another robust. I imply, three groups are going to most likely make the playoffs, so it speaks to the division that we play in. To have the ability to win this division and acquire one other sport within the playoff image, it was an necessary sport for us in opposition to a extremely good soccer staff. We discovered a option to get a win, however now we obtained to maintain constructing if we wish to get to our final objective.”
Reid echoed these sentiments, acknowledging the milestone whereas emphasizing the work to be achieved.
“We’ve nonetheless obtained video games left,” Reid mentioned. “Once I say this, we’re not simply placing the tent up proper right here and calling it a day. We’ve obtained to maintain enjoying and enjoying aggressively. Like I mentioned, we’re enjoying some actual good soccer groups which can be attempting to get themselves into the playoffs. In order that they’re going to be hungry and attacking.
“It’s an awesome achievement, however there’s extra left.”
