Why the Chiefs’ longest play vs. the 49ers wasn’t supposed to happen. And why it did
The fake punt was a bit telegraphed — more by the time and situation than anything else. The football rested near midfield, just a couple of yards shy of a first down.
A good spot for it, right?
No, not that one.
This isn’t about the Chiefs’ failed fake punt in California on Sunday — the direct snap to backup safety Jaden Hicks that gained all of 1 yard when the Chiefs needed at least 2. Head coach Andy Reid blamed that failure on the execution, but the 49ers just plain saw it coming. They left their defense on the field because they knew it might be coming.
But one quarter later, as the 49ers lined up their own 4th-and-2 approaching midfield, the Chiefs coaches had the same thought.
Watch the fake.
They called a safe punt return — one that too left their defense on the field rather than swapping it out for their return unit. And as a result, returner Mecole Hardman knew that all but finalized his job on the play.
Fair catch.
This is the backdrop for Hardman’s 55-yard punt return. The backdrop for the Chiefs’ longest play of a 28-18 win against San Francisco to remain undefeated. The backdrop for their longest punt return in the regular season in four years.
It was supposed to go for zero.
Hardman didn’t plan to move after securing the football. Just a wave of the hand in through the air. That’s all.
He couldn’t even be sure the group of defensive players on the field would adhere to traditional return blocking assignments — with good reason. Among those on the field, six of 10 blocking for him — Mike Pennel, Cam Thomas, Tershawn Wharton, George Karlaftis, Trent McDuffie and Bryan Cook — had played two punt return snaps or fewer in the first five weeks. They weren’t exactly trained for it.
Which is why, even as the ball left the foot of 49ers punter Mitch Wishnowsky, Hardman must’ve thought there was probably about a 90% chance of a fair catch.
“Ninety-eight percent chance,” he corrected me.
But he spotted something as the ball neared his chest.
Daylight.
McDuffie, serving as an impromptu blocker on the edge, pancaked gunner Ronnie Bell.
Several members of the 49ers coverage team crashed to Hardman’s right. He took a glance and saw no one to his left — the spot Bell had been assigned to occupy before McDuffie shoved him to the grass.
Hardman took the ball at the 15, took a few strides upfield, and then cut left. There was the space he saw.
His return to the sideline gained 55.
“I’m like, ‘Hold up, ain’t nobody in front of me,’” Hardman said. “’Wait a minute. Let me see.’ I just took a quick peek to the right. I saw their whole team over there. I see the left side is wide open.”
Seven plays later, Kareem Hunt barreled across the goal line to extend the Chiefs’ lead to 14-3. They needed to travel only 30 yards to reach the end zone.
All set up by a ball he planned to fair catch.
To be clear, though, it played out the way special teams coordinator Dave Toub has instructed Hardman. Be aggressive, but just “be safe with the football.”
It’s an interesting word choice — safe — because it’s the very name of the return.
So much for that.
“It’s rare that you return a safe call,” Hardman said. “It’s different with the punt return out there. But when the defense is out there, you usually don’t get a chance to return the ball. But Trent and (Joshua Williams) did a good job of holding the gunners up right there. And, you know, I did the rest.”
It seems fitting that it involved this player and this opponent.
It was two years ago on the same field that Hardman scored twice in Santa Clara, blowing up the 49ers’ aggressive defense with horizontal sweeps.
Can’t forget the Super Bowl encore, of course. Hardman caught the game-winning touchdown in overtime, and he was also the recipient of quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ favorite play that night — a deep pass in the second quarter.
That play went for 52.
This went for 55.
Almost on accident.