The Chiefs offense was unstoppable until it was stopped one yard short.
The Chiefs were up 21-10 and on the Bengals’ one-yard line with five seconds left before halftime. Instead of kicking a field goal, Patrick Mahomes threw a short pass to Tyreek Hill, who was tackled by Eli Apple short of the goalline as time expired on the first half.
“I was supposed to throw the ball away,” Mahomes said. “I got a little greedy there and tried to give it to Tyreek and get a touchdown, they had two people out there. In the long run of things, it looks bad, but if we had another chance, I’d go for another play again.”
CBS cameras showed Mahomes desperately trying to take a time out, but the Chiefs had already used all three.
The Chiefs’ confidence was warranted given that their first three drives were all touchdowns, but that stop completely changed the momentum of the game.
“I was hoping we could get the ball in the end zone,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “I probably gave him the wrong play first of all. To start with, I could’ve given him something better than that, where the play was open in the end zone, and then we wouldn’t have had to go through that. I’ll take responsibility for that one.”
Kansas City’s second half drives went punt, punt, interception, punt, punt, and they did not score again till a Harrison Butker field goal as time expired tied the game at 24-24. The Chiefs’ opening drive in overtime was Mahomes’ second interception.
The Bengals then marched down the field for the game-winning field goal – and a spot in Super Bowl 2022.