The Kansas City Chiefs were the better team from start to finish Sunday, but for a while it looked like the Tennessee Titans would escape Arrowhead Stadium with a win.
Then Patrick Mahomes happened.
This game truly started in the fourth quarter, with the Chiefs trailing the Titans, 17-9, with just under 10 minutes remaining. Naturally, Kansas City marched down the field over the course of seven minutes and punched the ball into the end zone to bring things within two. With only one chance to prevent Mahomes from tying the game, the Titans, well… gave the Chiefs another chance. Then another. On their third crack at the end zone, Mahomes scooted around the left side and snuck by the pylon to knot things up at 17.
Tennessee and Kansas City traded punts, eventually heading into overtime.
Unlike the 2019 AFC Championship game, the Chiefs won the coin toss and had their chance to end it. They did. Kinda.
Kansas City strolled down the field in overtime, making a couple of insane/clutch plays along the way, while killing clock. With Mahomes retreating on an early third down, he threw one up to Noah Gray, who did his best Travis Kelce impression and came down with it. On fourth down, inside the red zone, the Chiefs passed up a field goal opportunity to convert and keep the drive alive, killing more clock. Eventually, with just over four minutes left, Harrison Butker would come on to give KC the 20-17 lead.
Never one to let an opportunity to clown on the Titans slide, A.J. Brown live tweeted the game.
The game was weird from the jump, on both sides. Tennessee starter Malik Willis, making his second-career start, completed just five passes on 16 attempts, none to wide receivers, and finished his day with half as many rushing yards (40) as passing yards (80). Mahomes threw the ball 68 times, completing 43 for 446 yards. He also added 63 yards on the ground, 49 more than the rest of his teammates combined. Tennessee netted seven yards on their last nine drives.
This game was weird, but Mahomes pulled a couple rabbit’s out of his hat, so it wasn’t that out of the ordinary.
