Before playoffs and Super Bowl, Chiefs showed knack of comeback wins in regular season
The Chiefs’ incredible postseason run to a Super Bowl championship provided no shortage of heart-pumping moments.
Down 24-0 to the Houston Texans in the AFC Divisional Round, quarterback Patrick Mahomes implored his team to do something special. They responded on offense, defense and special teams to win 51-31.
The special quality carried over to the AFC Championship Game, when the Chiefs battled back from a 10-0 deficit against the Tennessee Titans to win 35-24. In the Super Bowl, the Chiefs were down 20-10 with 8:53 remaining and responded with 21 straight points to defeat the San Francisco 49ers 31-20 and secure a league championship.
While the Chiefs showed resiliency during the playoffs, their comeback trait was born during the regular season.
Here’s a snapshot of six regular-season games in which the Chiefs battled back to secure wins en route to a 12-4 record and a fourth straight AFC West title:
Week 2 vs. Oakland Raiders, 28-10
The Chiefs were lethargic in their first two possessions of the game and faced a 10-0 deficit in the second quarter. Mahomes energized the offense by connecting with wide receiver Demarcus Robinson for a 44-yard touchdown. Three Mahomes second-quarter touchdown passes later, including another to Robinson, the Chiefs were up 28-10, which represented the final score.
Week 3 vs. Baltimore Ravens, 33-28
The matchup represented an early showdown of AFC powers and the Ravens jumped out to a quick 6-0 lead on a Mark Ingram 2-yard touchdown run. The Chiefs woke up on the next possession with a methodical 11-play, 58-yard drive, which running back LeSean McCoy completed with a 1-yard TD run. The Chiefs would then score on their next three possessions to take a 23-6 lead before holding on to win.
Week 4 vs. Detroit Lions, 34-30
The Lions were actually good early in the season and went toe-to-toe with the Chiefs. Detroit took a 30-27 lead with 2:26 remaining, but Mahomes wasn’t about to let his team lose. Mahomes produced the key play of the game-winning drive not with his golden arm, but with his legs. Facing fourth-and-8 with 1:55 left, Mahomes scampered for 15 yards to keep the drive alive. Running back Damien Williams punched in the game-winning touchdown six plays later.
Week 9 vs. Minnesota Vikings, 26-23
Down 23-20 late in the fourth quarter, Matt Moore, who was starting in place of an injured Mahomes, connected with wide receiver Tyreek Hill for a 41-yard gain that set up kicker Harrison Butker’s 54-yard game-tying field goal. The defense stepped up on the next possession by holding the Vikings’ offense to a three-and-out and forcing a punt, which went for just 27 yards with less than two minutes remaining in the game. With good field position to work with, Moore connected with tight end Travis Kelce for 17 yards and Hill for 13 yards, setting up Butker’s game-winning 44-yard field goal as time expired.
Week 14 vs. New England Patriots, 23-16
The Chiefs spotted the Patriots a 7-0 lead, which came on New England’s opening possession, and then the AFC passing of the torch officially began. The Chiefs scored 23 straight points, which included Butker’s three field goals, to take a commanding 23-7 lead into the third quarter before fighting off a late push by the Patriots. The win gave the Chiefs a load of confidence late in the season to set up their championship run.
Week 17 vs. Los Angeles Chargers, 31-21
Despite holding a 10-7 lead at halftime, the Chiefs were sleepwalking through the game and suddenly were down 14-10 in the third quarter. Then, rookie wide receiver/returner Mecole Hardman provided a much-needed spark with a 104-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Running back Damien Williams helped seal the game with two touchdown runs, including an 84-yard effort in the third quarter.
This story was originally published February 6, 2020 at 4:49 PM.
