By now most of the country knows that Kansas City is going to the AFC Championships; but man, they did not have it in the bag. Kevin Stefanski, his star QB Baker Mayfield, and the entire Cleveland team gave Patrick Mahomes a run for his money AND a concussion that pulled him out of the game and may cost him his next one.
Fighting tooth and nail on both sides. The Chiefs were fiery straight out of the gate, with Travis Kelce scoring a TD on first possession. Their kicker Harrison Butker missed the first PAT, as well as a field goal after halftime, which could be attributed to high wind if he didn't already have such an inconsistent record (10 kicks missed this season). Regardless, the score was 3-19 until the third quarter. What really threw a wrench in the Chiefs' lead was when Browns player Mack Wilson hit Patrick Mahomes, resulting in a concussion. This physical upset was compounded by an obvious foot injury Mahomes had acquired in the first quarter.
Chad Henne, Chiefs backup quarterback, substituted as Mahomes ran to the locker room for examination. Henne started the Chiefs' game vs LA Chargers on January 3rd and they lost, but let's be fair - Mahomes almost lost to LA, too, and probably would've if Butker hadn't made a 55-yard field goal in overtime. Divisional games are always the hardest because the teams play each other twice a year so they know each other pretty well.
Come the fourth quarter, score at 10-22 Chiefs (after 33-yard field goal success from Butker), Baker Mayfield throws to Jarvis Landry but it's ceremoniously smacked down by KC safety Tyrann Mathieu. Seems cool enough for Chiefs fans but, in an ominous turn for them, Mahomes is officially declared out for the rest of the game, just before Landry receives the ball in the end zone and gains the Browns another TD. After the point-after, Cleveland is less than a full score behind. I think every football fan in America was leaning over the edge of their seats.
A penalty put the Chiefs 25 yards behind their first down and Henne threw an interception straight in the end zone. Cleveland didn't manage any scores from this turnover and soon KC had the ball again, but they lost their first two downs. Henne used their 3rd on an unusual scramble toward the 50-yard, throwing his entire body into the line and still coming up short by inches.
With how tight the game was, everyone expected Kansas City to punt the ball; instead, HC Andy Reid told them to go for it on 4th down, resulting in a complete pass to RB Tyreek Hill. Hill caught the ball, crossed the 10-yard line and, having just secured their AFC Championship, sat down on his butt.
Now, for THE controversial field ruling.
A Kansas City win was widely expected, even from the hosts of The NFL Today (well, except Coach Cowher, who stood faithfully by his former team). No one expected that one ruling on the field would shake up everyone's trust in the results.
A tight call on an almost-TD by Browns' Rashard Higgins resulted in a touchback. I must've watched the footage on this fifty times because it's so close, and I still get why Browns fans are upset about it: we're talking an entire 6 or 7 extra points that KC would've had to overcome in a game that would end less than a score apart. As it was officially ruled, Daniel Sorenson of KC knocked the ball out Higgins' arms just before reaching the end zone, and the ball was effectively dead, resulting in a turnover.
I'll be the first to admit that I'm cool with another Chiefs SB, but I also enjoyed the Browns upsetting the Steelers during Super Wild Card Weekend. As a Bears fan you won't ever hear me complaining about the underdogs shaking up the game. All that said, I think it's very possible the Chiefs would've won even if the Browns kept that TD. Maybe I have too much faith vested in KC #15, but he always finds a way to make a score. This team was 14-2 coming into the Divisional Round, and one of those lost games was when they used second-string players (no Mahomes or Kelce).
Twitter apologies. While KC tight end Travis Kelce says he overheard Browns players saying "That's what we do!" after hitting Patrick Mahomes, Mack Wilson tweeted that he was praying for his recovery, to which Mahomes responded "All good brother!"
There was also an exchange between Patrick's mom Randi, who called Mack's actions "evil." Wilson assured her that he wasn't trying to hurt anyone; he was just trying to get the ball out of KC possession and "be great like your son."
Post-game thoughts:
The unsung hero of Kansas City was their defense. Tyrann Mathieu, Chris Jones, and Anthony Hitchens shone brightly when stakes were high, and their ability to stop Cleveland's offensive drives played a huge factor in this advancement.
The Cleveland Browns deserve so much recognition - not only for their game tonight against reigning Super Bowl champions, but for their whole season. With a first playoff appearance since 2002 followed by a first playoff win since 1995, Kevin Stefanski is ushering in a new era with Baker Mayfield at the helm. I seriously can’t wait to see what they do in 2021.
“It goes down to the calls that Andy Reid made,” Coach Cowher said in post game coverage, “The confidence he showed in his team, he was playing to win, not to lose.” Even Tony Romo, who called the game opposite Jim Nantz, did not see that play coming; and it was absolutely the call Kansas City needed.
What’s next? Sean McDermott and his Buffalo Bills will be heading to Missouri for the AFC Championship to determine who will face the NFC in Super Bowl LV.