The Kansas City Chiefs pulled off their 15th consecutive one-score victory on Sunday, defeating the Los Angeles Chargers, 19-17, with a walk-off field goal to improve to a 12-1 record and clinch the AFC West for a 9th consecutive season.
The Chiefs took the Chargers to the wire after getting the ball back late in the fourth quarter, down by one point with 4:35 left on the clock.
Kansas City converted three third downs, including a 3rd and 10 that resulted in an incredible throw and catch from Patrick Mahomes to Xavier Worthy. After a nine-yard catch by tight end Travis Kelce to get a new of downs at the Charger 11-yard line, the Chiefs drained the 1:11 remaining before setting up Matt Wright for the game-winner.
Wright’s kick had a little suspense to it when it hit the left upright before traveling past the crossbar for three points. After the game, head coach Andy Reid explained his decision to run the clock and try the field goal rather than go for the touchdown.
“I have trust in Matthew [Wright],” he began. “So, I was good with where we were. Percentages are pretty high; I know we’ve won a game in that same situation on the opposite end (referring to the blocked field goal against Denver) so I get it, but he’s a solid kicker,” he explained.
“I wasn’t too worried about it once we got down in there,” Reid continued. “Now to get down in there was a nice job by our guys. That [3rd and 9] play that Pat [Mahomes] and [Travis] Kelce made right there at the end was something… that’s not quite the way it was drawn up.”
The Chiefs already clinched a playoff berth before they kicked off against the Chargers, but they did take the AFC West division for the ninth-consecutive season since 2016. Reid took time to credit the Chiefs’ upstairs office and his players for the accomplishment.
“Yeah listen. I am proud of the guys,” he said. “I mean, the coaches [and] when [Chairman & CEO] Clark [Hunt] gives us the opportunity to do this, or [President] Mark Donovan and [General Manager] Brett Veach. I mean, we are all in this together trying to make this – and it’s not easy, it’s not an easy thing.”
“Every year is a little different depending on how we’ve gotten there. [But] I’m proud of our guys for just hanging in there [because] we’ve had so many tight games more so than some other years. The guys keep hanging in there and feeling like good things are going to happen and keep battling,” Reid explained.
Winning nine straight division titles is an impressive accomplishment- only the New England Patriots had a longer run (2009-2019) – but Reid knows winning the AFC West is just a small part of his team’s ultimate goal.
“It’s early in the year here,” he reminded reporters. “So, we still have games left. When I say this, we’re not just putting the tent up right here and calling it a day. We’ve got to keep playing and playing aggressively. Like I said, ‘We are playing some real good football teams that are trying to get themselves into the playoffs.’ So, they’re going to be hungry and attacking. We’ve got to make sure we keep doing – it’s a great achievement – but there’s more left,” Reid explained.
Like any football coach, Reid will take a win any way his team can get them. But he isn’t fond of the close, heart-stopping victories. When asked about it, Reid kept it simple:
“Not as I’m living.”
