Kansas City falls to 6-4 on the season following a bad loss to a Tennessee Titans team that many figured would get run out of the building in the days leading up to kickoff.
The Titans found a way a hang with Kansas City and struck when the opportunities presented themselves.
There’s no doubt that Kansas City shot themselves in the foot today, first, a fumble by running back Damien Williams was recovered by Tennessee linebacker Rashaan Evans, who took it 53 yards the other way for the touchdown. The play ensued moments after quarterback Ryan Tannehill drove the Titans offense 73 yards to find receiver Anthony Firkser in the end zone for the 9-yard score.
The consecutive scores by Tennessee put the Titans ahead 13-10 midway into the second quarter. Kansas City shoots themselves again thanks to a miscue on special teams that sets the Titans up in great field position with plenty of time on the clock.
With 1:30 left in the fourth, Kansas City setups kicker Harrison Butker for a 47-yard field goal attempt that would’ve put the Chiefs ahead 35-27. However, the snap by long snapper James Winchester was mishandled by Dustin Colquitt and is ruled a fumble. Colquitt picks up the fumble and throws it deep downfield towards the sideline with no receiver in the area and gets penalized for intentional grounding.
Play results in a 10-yard penalty that gives Tennessee the ball back at their own 39-yard line.
On the ensuing drive, Tannehill hands the ball off to Derrick Henry for an 18-yard gain and a new set of downs. Two plays later, Tannehill drops back and finds Anthony Firkser down the field, who makes the catch to the 23-yard line of Kansas City. The following play is a touchdown strike to Adam Humphries in the middle of the endzone to give the Titans a one-point lead with less than 30 seconds left in the game.
Instead of kicking for the extra point, Head Coach Mike Vrabel elects to go for the two-point conversion. Tannehill takes the snap and hands it off to Henry, who bulldozes his way into the endzone to the Titans the 35-32 lead.
Precious seconds ticking down, the Chiefs have one last shot to at least tie and force overtime. Beginning their final drive at their own 38-yard line, Mahomes drops back and throws a 23-yard dart to Demarcus Robinson into Titan territory at the 39 of their end. On the following play with 17 seconds left on the clock, Mahomes takes the snap and throws a five-yard pass to Robinson again to the 34-yard line.
Down to just three seconds left on the clock following an incomplete pass to Tyreek Hill, Kansas City brings out their special teams unit to try for the 52-yard field goal to force overtime. The kick is set up perfectly however, Tennessee’s LeShaun Sims is there in time to get in front of the football to block Butkins kick and win the Titans the game as time expires.
The climax to this game has put the majority of Chiefs Kingdom in shock as crucial mistakes, stupid penalties, and bad defensive play is the reason behind a loss to a team the Chiefs should’ve beaten.
“I’ll take responsibility for the loss,” Head Coach Andy Reid said after the game. “We were in a position to close it and we didn’t get that done,” he said. The Chiefs had a chance to run the clock out with a lead but a sack on 3rd and 2 forced the Chiefs to go for the 47-yard field goal attempt that got botched when Colquitt mishandled it.
“We were too sloppy, you come down and play as we did, and again, this is the Head Coach’s responsibility, you can’t do it like that,” Reid explained.
The Chiefs defense today didn’t resemble the team that held Dalvin Cook to a minimal gain last week. Instead, Titans running back Derrick Henry steamrolled Kansas City’s defensive unit, rushing for 188 yards on 23 carries and a pair of rushing touchdowns.
On the bright side, quarterback Patrick Mahomes returned to the lineup for the first time since dislocating his kneecap last month and picked up where he left off throwing 36-of-50 for 446 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Mahomes also surpassed Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino for the NFL record to throw the most career touchdown passes in his first 25 starts. Mahomes threw his 66th career touchdown, a three-yard shuffle pass to tight end Travis Kelce on Kansas City’s opening drive.
The Chiefs head into next week just a half-game ahead in the division with the Oakland Raiders knocking on their back door at 5-4. Kansas City travels to Mexico City to take on Phillip Rivers and the L.A. Chargers (4-6) on Monday Night Football.
