The Chiefs just stretched their lead to 21-12 early in the third quarter thanks to a massive fourth-down touchdown from Travis Kelce. This wasn’t just any score, though. It came after a bizarre kickoff decision by the Jets, effectively handing Kansas City a short field to work with.
Kelce’s Rushing TD: A Chiefs Statement
Andy Reid, after seeing his team struggle near the end zone in last Sunday’s loss to the Broncos, went for it on fourth down when Patrick Mahomes was stopped at the 1-yard line by the Jets. Mahomes, in a move that screamed “trust your guy,” delivered a two-handed chest pass to Kelce behind the right side of the line. Kelce, being Kelce, barreled into the end zone, making it his 87th career touchdown. What’s even wilder? It was ruled a rushing touchdown, only the third time he’s ever scored that way in his career. Talk about making a play when it counts.
The Kickoff Blunder That Opened The Door
Here’s the part that’s got everyone scratching their heads: the Chiefs only had to drive 60 yards for that score. Why? Because the Jets’ kickoff went out of bounds. And it wasn’t even their regular kicker, Jason Sanders, or punter Austin McNamara, handling the duties. Fullback Andrew Beck took all their first-half kickoffs, including that costly one. It’s unclear why the Jets went this route, especially with their actual specialists on the roster. You gotta wonder what was going through their minds, effectively handing the Chiefs prime field position and setting up that game-changing score.
That Chiefs 21-12 lead feels different when you consider how they got that last touchdown. It’s a momentum changer for sure, and while Kelce got the glory, the Jets’ puzzling kickoff strategy is a huge question mark hovering over this game.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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