Chiefs News 11/24: Late rally keeps Chiefs season alive

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NFL Week 12 grades: Chiefs earn ‘A-‘ with season-saving win, Lions get ‘B-‘ | CBS Sports

A- Chiefs The Chiefs essentially needed this win to save their season and they got the victory by taking over in the second

half. With the Chiefs trailing 20-9 in the fourth quarter, the defense took over by surrendering just 11 yards in the final quarter to allow Patrick Mahomes and the offense to get back in the game. Mahomes responded by totaling 145 yards in the fourth quarter that allowed the Chiefs to tie the game (He threw for 352 in the game). The Chiefs haven’t been clutch at all this year, but that changed on Sunday and it came against one of the best teams in the NFL. For the first time all season, they won a one-score game, and knowing the Chiefs (6-5), this could be the win that sends them on a run deep into January and possibly even February.

Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs are most dangerous wild cards of all in NFL playoff race | The Athletic

And that’s why the failure of Jones and the Indianapolis Colts to put away Mahomes and the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium could have huge ramifications across the league as it barrels toward Thanksgiving Day and the unofficial start of the playoff push. According to The Athletic’s NFL playoff simulator, Mahomes’ ability to overcome a 20-9 fourth-quarter deficit and deliver a 23-20 overtime victory left Kansas City (6-5) with a 64 percent chance to return to the postseason.

A loss to Indianapolis, on the other hand, would have left Kansas City with a 31 percent chance to advance, according to Next Gen Stats.

Though the Chiefs are not the two-time defending champs this time around, it’s still clear the rest of the NFL is a much safer place when the league’s Freddy Krueger has a 31 percent chance to get you rather than a 64 percent chance.

Dismiss This Flawed Edition of the Chiefs’ Dynasty at Your Own Risk | SI

To me, the significance of Kansas City’s 23–20 win over the Colts wasn’t really that they beat an 8–2 team that came into Arrowhead, like everyone does, looking for validation. It’s how this victory happened—in a way that delivered a clear message: Dismiss this flawed edition of the Chiefs’ dynasty at your own risk.

Bolton and the Chiefs responded to that critical fumble by sticking to their script of completely suffocating a great operation that was determined to show how far it had come. Here is a breakdown of the numbers after the Hunt fumble, through the 14:48 remaining in regulation, and all 8:03 of overtime leading up to Harrison Butker’s 27-yard game-winning field goal.

NFL Week 12 winners, losers | Yardbarker

NFL Week 12 winners

Kansas City Chiefs playoff chances. There was perhaps no win more meaningful in Week 12 than the Chiefs’ win over the Indianapolis Colts. They avoided a three-game losing streak, avoided falling under .500 in late November and saw a huge swing in their playoff odds. It was not pretty; they needed a big comeback, but they got the result they desperately needed.

Eight NFL narratives we can finally put to bed after Week 12 Sunday | NFL.com

6) The Indianapolis Colts can be on cruise control in the AFC South. Not quite yet, not after they blew a 20-9 lead at the start of the fourth quarter in Kansas City to lose in overtime. The problem was the offense, which leads the league in scoring and in yards, which went three-and-out on four straight drives in the fourth quarter and overtime, forcing a gassed defense back onto the field to contend with Patrick Mahomes‘ heroics. Coach Shane Steichen repeatedly said after the game that he has to be better with his play-calling. But after starting 7-1, the Colts have lost two of their last three, which has kept the Texans and Jaguars alive for the division title. The Colts face both of them twice in the final six games, with the Seahawks and 49ers the other foes. The Colts may still prevail, but they are not making it easy on themselves.

Around the NFL

Chip Kelly fired as offensive coordinator of Raiders | ESPN

Kelly’s firing came after a 24-10 loss to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday that dropped the Raiders to 2-9 this season.

“I spoke with Chip Kelly earlier this evening and informed him of his release as offensive coordinator of the Raiders,” first-year coach Pete Carroll said in a statement released by the team. “I would like to thank Chip for his service and wish him all the best in the future.”

Carroll did not name a new coordinator.

Baker Mayfield exits loss to Rams after suffering left shoulder injury | NFL.com

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield did not return to Sunday night’s 34-7 loss to the Los Angeles Rams after suffering a left shoulder injury in the first half.

Mayfield went into the blue medical tent favoring his left non-throwing arm moments after he threw a touchdown to receiver Tez Johnson in the second quarter.

Mayfield was back out on the field for the Buccaneers’ ensuing possession. But he heaved a pass with all his might on the final play of the first half, and as the ball fell incomplete, Mayfield was down on a knee in clear pain. After he initially was ruled doubtful to return, Mayfield emerged from the locker room with his left arm in a sling.

Cowboys overcome 21-point deficit to defeat visiting Eagles | ESPN

Coach Brian Schottenheimer likes to tell his Dallas Cowboys team that a game can’t be won in the first, second or third quarters. It can be won only in the fourth quarter.

The Cowboys certainly tried to show that a game can be lost in the first two quarters Sunday, going down 21-0 to the Philadelphia Eagles with the game barely 18 minutes old.

But in the final 42 minutes, the Cowboys put together a franchise-record-tying comeback to beat the Eagles 24-21 on a 42-yard field goal by Brandon Aubrey as time expired.

As music blared from the speakers inside the locker room, defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa waved a flag with Marshawn Kneeland‘s name and No. 94 on it. Eighteen days earlier, Kneeland died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride

Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes praise Chiefs’ resiliency in overtime win

The team committed to its ground attack, which was made possible by a strong performance by the offensive line. Position coach Andy Heck had his group prepared to carry the load.

“I thought the line was controlling things there pretty good,” Reid pointed out, “which was important. We were getting positive yards on first down, which was good. We ran a little bit on second down, likewise. Coach Heck puts all of that together — I mean, that’s his deal. He did a great job schematically with it. They were dialed up and the guys executed them.”

As the slugfest wore on, this reliance on the running game helped open up the passing game.

“Whenever you’re able to run the football like that,” Mahomes explained to reporters, “it makes defenses come up — and then you can hit some of these deeper throws down the field like we did at the end there.”

Eventually, this helped wide receiver Rashee Rice find space downfield. He registered a career-high 141 receiving yards — with 132 of them spread over five receptions late in the game.