You hear that an offense explodes for 20 points in the fourth quarter and the defense makes crucial stops to win a game 30-27, and you think you know the story. But Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid dropped a bombshell right after the buzzer, flat out saying special teams was “the best part of the three phases today” against the Raiders. Seriously? In a tight divisional road matchup that came down to the wire, the third phase wasn’t just good, it was the *best*? That’s wild.
Araiza’s Punt Game Was Next Level
The truth is, Reid wasn’t kidding. Punter Matt Araiza was absolutely locked in from the jump. Dude pulled off a fake punt, sprinting right and taking a massive hit to move the chains. Yeah, the offense couldn’t capitalize on that one, but what a gutsy play to even attempt it in a critical game. After that, he was a straight-up weapon. Araiza punted five times, averaging nearly 47 yards per kick, and the Raiders got a grand total of four measly yards off those returns. Four! That’s insane coverage.
And then there was *that* punt. The one that basically iced the game. With just 1:16 left on the clock and the Raiders out of timeouts, Araiza pinned them at their own one-yard line. You can’t ask for a more perfect coffin corner. Rookie running back Emmett Johnson showed “great instincts,” making an athletic play to toss the ball back to rookie safety Xavier Nwankpa, securing the spot right on the goal line. Reid pointed out Johnson is still learning on special teams, getting pushed by coordinator Dave Toub and assistant Porter Ellett, which makes his execution even more impressive. That kind of precision and rookie hustle makes all the difference when inches count.
The Turnover That Changed Everything
But it wasn’t just the punting game. The Chiefs special teams unit came up huge on kickoffs too. Second-year linebacker Jeffrey Bassa delivered what Reid called “the biggest play of the game” in the fourth quarter, forcing a fumble on a kickoff. You talk about pivotal plays, that was it. Veteran linebacker Jack Cochrane was right there to jump on it and secure the turnover. That sequence was pure special teams magic, a game-changing moment when the chips were down. Reid was hyped, saying, “The play of the game was Bassa punching the kickoff out, then Cochrane getting it back there. What a great job he did on that with the forced fumble.”
Yeah, Reid admitted the unit has “plenty to clean up with penalties,” which is always a work in progress for young guys. But let’s be real, in a bruising road divisional game that finished 30-27, these guys stepped up big. That third phase absolutely made the difference on Sunday.
You gotta hand it to them, when the offense and defense needed a boost, the special teams delivered. What does that mean going forward? It means this unit, even with its youth and stuff to clean up, is a legit weapon. Next up, it’ll be crucial to see if they can maintain that high level of impact and tighten up those penalty flags. Every yard, every turnover, every perfectly placed punt is gonna matter more and more as this season unfolds. You just love to see that kind of gritty, game-winning effort.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Arrowhead Pride.
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