Just enjoying that game Mahomes had under control the whole time. I do remember being up 24-7 when the 4th quarter started yet still being nervous about some weird Colts comeback. No reason at all to be nervous this time. The thing I remember the most was Mahomes throwing a sidearm "curve ball" pass to Travis Kelce, zipping it right around the Colts defender.
Tonight the play of the game happened with a minute left in the 1st half and the score still too close for comfort, 13-7. On 3rd-&-10 the Dolphons blitzed and with two rushers in his face Mahomes rifled the ball straight to Rashee Rice on the medium-deep crossing route, and he did his now-patented streak down the sideline for a huge gain. Butker later came in to make it 16-7.
Thing is, just a bit later in the 3rd quarter Rice slammed his knee against that frozen turf on the sideline after another fine catch, and we were all wondering if he was injured badly.
Turns out, he wasn't. He got back in there for the 4th quarter and made another spectacular catch-&-run, shortly after which Isiah Pacheco scored the dagger rushing touchdown on a wildcat dipsy-doo play the announcer called a "Hallmark Play." Awesome Andy Reid can be so honored, and for us Chiefs fans to get to so enjoy these Chiefs' "Hallmark Plays."
Again, this one felt like that 18 Colts playoff win. Just a good feeling throughout. The Chiefs were taking care of business the whole game. Our advantages were simple.
Mahomes and our defense. Both were terrific. Not to take anything away from our O-line or special teams especially Butker and the guys helping him make those field goals, four all together.
But then...
Mahomes made play after play, and even if we got bogged down in or close to the red zone, he matriculated the ball enough to get us those needed field goals -- kind of like what happened in the Bengals game a couple weeks ago. On one notable play -- you'll see the replay a zillion times I'm sure -- a large chunk of his helmet split off after a terrific run ended with a mean helmet-connection with the tackler. It wasn't helmet-to-helmet for a penalty, it was just that it was so cold the helmet cracked apart!
I could make a number of other remarks about this one, I took a few notes regarding, yes, those few things I thought were stupid that might cost us the game. Thing is we played so well with such confidence that the few minor stupid things didn't hurt us at all. In fact, just to add real quick, our receivers along with the amazing Rashee Rice actually did pretty well! MVS made a key catch. Richie James had a nice 1st down grab late in the game. Justin Watson made a couple of fine catches. Kelce was his usual excellent (even though he had three bad drops early) and our other tight end Noah Gray added a terrific catch.
Otherwise, this is, yes! -- our first win against the Dolphins in a playoff game. Helps take away some of the pain of those other losses -- not completely, no, we must always carry around the agony of what happened on that Christmas Day in 1971, right?
The Chiefs are definitely a Got-It team.
They just have what it takes to take care of business on the playoff football field.
Next week we'll either be playing Buffalo at their place -- and hey if it is blizzardy there, well we just had a game in minus-9 degree weather to prepare for that -- or we'll be playing Houston at home if on Monday Pittsburgh pulls off the upset against the Bills.
Go Chiefs!
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The first photo is from Sam Lutz, the second and third from Evan Sanders, all at the official Chiefs website. Thank you.
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