Saying this game was crazy is an understatement. From the first minute until the very end, there were crazy plays, suspenseful moments, and big surprises.
The Kansas City Chiefs finally won it 34-30 as they improved to 4-0. It was an ugly win for the Chiefs, as the offense was completely out of sync; they conceded too many fumbles which put at risk the final result.
And most incredibly so, we have seen a human Patrick Mahomes, who came out of this game with no touchdowns and 315 yards. His accuracy was a bit off today (24-for-42) but he came forward when it was important, running to get a vital first down on a fourth and eight with two minutes left on the clock.
The Detroit Lions tossed up a last-chance hail Mary with a few seconds left but they wound up unsuccessful.
But let’s rewind a little bit, shall we?
The lead changed five times throughout the game. It was a bit confusing.
The first quarter showed a conquering Detroit, not impressed by the immaculate beginning to the season for the Kansas City Chiefs. Matthew Stafford wanted to make a point and show he has what it takes to outplay the young new star, Patrick Mahomes.
With a missed field goal by Harrison Butker and an easy touchdown by Sammy Watkins taken away, there were already enough crazy twists to call it a day in just one quarter. The Lions led by 10 points by the end of the first quarter, though, and almost shocked the NFL, dominating one of the Super Bowl contenders in the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Chiefs tied the game by halftime with a touchdown by LeSean McCoy and a monster performance by defensive tackle Chris Jones. It was the beginning of a strong afternoon for McCoy, who tallied 89 yards of total offense to go along with his score. In just four games with the Chiefs, McCoy has already tied his 2018 total yards. He said during the week it was fun to play football again under Andy Reid, and boy, you can see it.
In the second half, Chiefs cornerback Bashaud Breeland scored a touchdown on one play while getting the ball in his own red zone with a Lions fumble on another play. We also saw the backward pitch from Travis Kelce to LeSean McCoy to get a first down. And also, five fumbles! These are a few examples of what a crazy game this was.
However, the Lions need credit for this game, with great plays by Stafford and a great running game, who took off some playtime from Mahomes. Matt Patricia has done a phenomenal job coaching the Detroit Lions, nearly stopping the Kansas City train this weekend.
The Chiefs’ offense slipped this weekend and the special teams has not been good at all, but many other offensive players had their opportunity to show some skills, such as Byron Pringle, who had a key play near the end of the game. Also, Deon Yelder and Blake Bell helped to rack up some yards and get this important win along the way.
The Lions pressured Mahomes well and contained the run. He didn’t put up his typical video-game numbers, but he relied on his teammates and handled the end of the game like a true professional. This win just proved that Mahomes doesn’t have to put up ridiculous numbers in order to win games. The Chiefs can still compete for a Super Bowl even if Patrick Mahomes doesn’t throw five or six touchdowns per game.
On Sunday, the Chiefs improved their game when it mattered the most. That’s exactly what they need to do to prove they can make it till the Super Bowl, and possibly win it.
Winning close games like this one is just going to boost the confidence of Mahomes and his teammates. Now the Chiefs return to Kansas City next week to host the 2-2 Indianapolis Colts on Sunday Night Football.
