CHARLOTTE, N.C. – After the Kansas City Chiefs clinched their fifth walk-off victory of the season on Sunday, quarterback Patrick Mahomes acknowledged he’s happy to take the wins however they come but would prefer them to be a bit less dramatic at the finish.
"You want to have some blowouts," Mahomes said following the Chiefs' 30-27 win over the Carolina Panthers, which ended with rookie Spencer Shrader's 31-yard field goal as time expired. "You'd like things to be a little calmer in the fourth quarter. I’ve always said that, especially as you get closer to the playoffs, it's good to have these experiences so you know how to handle those moments."
"But I'd love to win a game before the very last play."
With a 10-1 record, the Chiefs have now won eight games by one score, tying an NFL record for the most such wins in the first 11 games of a season. Half of those victories have been decided in the final moments. Among them, one was settled by a blocked field goal, another by an overtime touchdown, one by an opposing receiver missing a critical foot placement in the end zone, and now two have been determined by field goals.
Mahomes guided the Chiefs on the decisive drive against the Panthers, beginning with two short pass completions before a pivotal 33-yard scramble that moved Kansas City into field goal range.
While Mahomes admits he's not the fastest or most elusive runner, he's effective when needed.
"He has a great feel for the game," said coach Andy Reid. "He knows where guys are based on the coverage and understands what they're trying to accomplish. He can also feel the pressure from the defense."
Mahomes has delivered some key runs in late-game situations during some of the Chiefs' most memorable victories. In Super Bowl LVII against the Philadelphia Eagles, his longest run on the winning drive was 26 yards, and in Super Bowl LVIII against the San Francisco 49ers, it was 19 yards.
"It's not something I plan ahead of time," Mahomes explained. "It’s just when the moment comes, and you need to make a play, I try to do that. That's why these big runs tend to come later in games."
"You can’t always slide; sometimes you have to put your body on the line, knowing you might take hits. But we’ve been able to make some big runs at crucial moments."
Rookie Spencer Shrader, who joined the Chiefs two weeks ago as an emergency replacement for injured kicker Harrison Butker, stepped up with the game-winning field goal. Before joining the Chiefs, Shrader had kicked in two games for the Indianapolis Colts and the New York Jets.
"I knew an opportunity would come, so I stayed calm, knowing I'd be ready when the time came," Shrader said. "It's about trusting the team to get you in that position, and when you’re there, you just focus and make the kick."
Butker, a proven clutch performer, had made his own game-winning field goal earlier this season, a 51-yarder against the Cincinnati Bengals.
While the Chiefs had confidence in Shrader, coach Reid acknowledged the challenge he faced in a high-pressure situation.
"That's a lot of pressure for a new guy," Reid said. "He's coming in, replacing a future Hall of Famer. That’s not easy, especially in these types of games."
No comments:
Post a Comment