The Kansas City Chiefs might’ve walked away with a dominant 35-12 win against the New York Jets, but let’s be real, everyone’s still buzzing about that wild opening drive. Facing a third-and-short, with a tough goal-line loss from last week fresh in their minds, the Chiefs decided to try something super rare: a quarterback sneak. Backup QB Justin Fields joined Patrick Mahomes in the huddle, then lined up under center, but after an official timeout and re-huddle, his attempt to move the chains completely flopped, ending in a turnover. It was the first time the Chiefs ran a sneak with an actual quarterback since way back in 2019, and man, did it blow up.
Reid’s Fiery Post-Game Response
You know Head Coach Andy Reid, right? Always got a quote. After the game, when FOX4’s Harold Kuntz dared to ask about the epic fail, Reid didn’t hold back. “You guys asked for it, so we gave it to you,” he fired back. “And it didn’t work. How’d you feel?” Talk about throwing it right back in their face! Reid kept it coming, explaining that “Those are hard to practice, live.” He figures a sneak is tough to get right unless you’re doing it in a game. He basically said they just need to get Fields and Mahomes on the same page, get the ball into the QB’s hands, and go from there. Later, he even added, “It had a little tush push to it, right into the ground.” You gotta wonder, though, given how much they’ve avoided this play since Mahomes got hurt seven years ago, isn’t that a bit ironic to now say it’s hard to practice live?
What Went Wrong and What’s Next?
So, what went wrong, really? Fields, who was a solid 7/8 on sneaks for the Jets last season according to Sam McDowell of The Kansas City Star, completely whiffed on his first try as a Chief. Even Patrick Mahomes, who flared out left and had a front-row seat to the whole thing, chimed in. He blamed the official timeout and re-huddle for messing up their timing, saying they were trying to surprise the defense. But Mahomes is a straight shooter. He admitted it’s a “poor excuse” for one of football’s most common plays. He alluded to the unit maybe still learning the ropes, noting, “It’s new to the guys.” Still, he’s clear: “We have to make it happen. You have to work on that stuff.” Turns out, Fields confirmed the team only installed the play last week, just before this game. He knew it was a “possibility” to run it.
So, the Chiefs got their win, but this short-yardage blunder is definitely a talking point. They’ve gotta figure out how to make this play click, especially if they’re gonna keep it in the playbook. Mahomes says they’ll find “different ways to do it” as long as they keep executing short-yardage at a high level. It’s clear they need to iron out the details, whether that means better practice or just more reps in game situations. Keep an eye on those short-yardage plays moving forward, because if they want to be dominant when it matters most, they can’t afford to literally push the ball into the ground again.
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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