There shouldn’t have been a moment of indecision for Todd Bowles after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers scored in the final minute of regulation on Monday night.
Nobody has been able to beat the Kansas City Chiefs going back to last December. When you have a single play from 2 yards out to knock off the back-to-back Super Bowl champions, as the Buccaneers did when they scored with 27 seconds left Monday night, you take your shot right then.
Bowles didn’t. Instead of going for the 2-point conversion and the win as a big underdog, the Buccaneers head coach opted to kick an extra point to force overtime. Everyone knew how that could backfire, and it did.
The Chiefs won the coin toss in overtime, and there wasn’t much surprise for what happened next. Patrick Mahomes drove the Chiefs right downfield, as he has so many times in clutch situations. And Kareem Hunt scored on a 2-yard touchdown to end the game, keeping the Chiefs undefeated with a 30-24 win.
The Chiefs didn’t play great on Monday night. They were expected to beat the Buccaneers, who were 4-4 coming in, without much problem. But it was a struggle. They were on the ropes, but Bowles decided against going for the knockout punch when he had the chance. There’s a reason the Chiefs are 8-0. Maybe Bowles was unaware of the Chiefs’ history when he chose to kick the extra point.
After the game, Bowles said he gave “very minor” thought to going for 2: “With the wet conditions on the field, we felt like we had to go into overtime instead of going for 2,” Bowles told reporters. “We had our shots, and we lost the game.”
Buccaneers take a 2nd half lead
The Buccaneers started pretty well. The defense did a good job containing the Chiefs’ offense, though Xavier Worthy not being able to get his feet in bounds on what would have been a long catch to about the 1-yard line helped their cause. Rachaad White scored the first touchdown of the game to give Tampa Bay an early 7-3 lead.
The Chiefs warmed up after that. Mahomes hit Hopkins on a ridiculous throw into traffic downfield for a 35-yard gain which set up a 1-yard touchdown pass to Hopkins.
Hopkins hit a celebration from “Remember the Titans” after that, showing off his sense of humor to go with his red-zone ability. The Chiefs led 10-7 at halftime. Everyone has seen this game play out during the Mahomes era. Eventually the Chiefs take over and win.
But the Buccaneers were undaunted. Mayfield kept hitting tight end Cade Otton, who is practically Tampa Bay’s only reliable receiver due to injuries to Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Otton scored a touchdown and gave the Buccaneers the lead. A field goal later in the third quarter put the Buccaneers ahead 17-10. The Chiefs had a challenge on their hands.
The Chiefs are supposed to put away most teams, especially at home, and they were big favorites to beat the Buccaneers. But Kansas City looked a little off on Monday night. The Chiefs’ offense, which seemed to be getting right in the second quarter, disappeared for most of the third quarter. And Tampa Bay clearly wasn’t intimidated.
But it’s the Chiefs. They usually find a way.
Game goes to overtime
The Chiefs got back in the game on the ground. With rain starting to fall, the Chiefs kept feeding Hunt. His hard running set up a game-tying Chiefs touchdown, but it came with a scare. Mahomes flipped a touchdown pass to Samaje Perine but took an awkward step and had to be helped off. But Mahomes was looked at by trainers and was jogging on the sideline before Kansas City’s next series.
The Buccaneers had a quick three-and-out, and that was the opening the Chiefs needed. Kansas City, with Mahomes moving around like nothing happened, grinded out another long drive in the rain. Hopkins scored his second touchdown of the game to give the Chiefs a 24-17 lead with 4:17 to go. Hopkins will be a valuable weapon for them near the goal line.
The Chiefs’ defense has been fantastic all season, and on the Buccaneers’ next drive Kansas City got a key sack. The Buccaneers decided to punt on fourth-and-16, and it seemed like the game might be over. However, the Buccaneers got a stop to get the ball back on a punt. The Chiefs would usually never give the ball back in that spot, but it wasn’t a vintage performance on Thursday night.
The Buccaneers drove into Chiefs territory needing a touchdown. Mayfield kept completing passes in the rain, moving Tampa Bay downfield. Mayfield hit Trey Palmer for a pass on a crossing route that got them down to the 1-yard line with 33 seconds left. Then Mayfield hit Ryan Miller for a touchdown. The Buccaneers could have gone for the 2-point conversion and the lead, which seemed smart as a big underdog at Arrowhead Stadium, but Bowles decided on the extra point and the tie. The Buccaneers got a stop to force a punt and the game went to overtime.
The Chiefs didn’t win in regulation despite having three timeouts, but they drove into Buccaneers territory right away after winning the coin toss in overtime. Mahomes calmly got the Chiefs into the red zone on their first drive. He kept hitting Travis Kelce for gains. From the 2-yard line, Hunt found the end zone for the walk-off score.
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FINAL: Chiefs 30, Buccaneers 24
Tampa Bay 284 yards total offense
Baker Mayfield 23-31, 200 yards, 2 TDs
Cade Otton 8 catches, 77 yards, 1 TD
Sterling Shepard 4 catches, 48 yards
Bucky Irving 7 carries, 24 yards
Kansas City 175 yards total offense
Patrick Mahomes 34-44, 291 yards, 3 TDs
Kareem Hunt 106 yards, 1 TD, 27 carries
Travis Kelce 14 catches, 100 yards
DeAndre Hopkins 8 catches, 86 yards, 2 TD
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TOUCHDOWN, Chiefs
Kareem Hunt scores on a two-yard run for the game-winning touchdown in overtime. Kansas City went 70 yards in 10 plays.
The Chiefs stay undefeated at 8–0 with the win.
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Mahomes to Kelce for 15 yards
Patrick Mahomes hits Travis Kelce for a 15-yard gain to the Tampa Bay 11-yard line.
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Chiefs driving in overtime
Kansas City has driven 43 yards so far on its opening drive of overtime. Patrick Mahomes has completed three pass for 33 yards.
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Chiefs win overtime coin toss
Kansas City wins the coin toss to begin overtime and will get the ball.
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Chiefs go 3-and out
On first down, Patrick Holmes completed a nine-yard pass to Peyton Hendershot to the Chiefs’ 39-yard line.
But two straight incompletions force the Chiefs to punt.
Time expires in regulation on Matt Araiza’s 40-yard kick. This game is going to overtime.
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TOUCHDOWN, Buccaneers
Baker Mayfield hits Ryan Miller, who gets wide open on a flag route to the back right corner of the end zone. With the extra point, the game is tied at 17–17.
Troy Aikman kept saying the Bucs should go for 2 if they score a touchdown, but Todd Bowles opted for the extra point kick.
Chiefs take over with 27 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
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Tampa Bay to the K.C. 1-yard line
Baker Mayfield hits Trey Palmer on a crossing route and he runs it to the Chiefs’ 1-yard line with 33 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.
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Bucs on the move
Baker Mayfield has completed two passes to Sterling Shepard for 9 and 7 yards to move closer to the red zone. 1:11 remaining.
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Tampa Bay into Kansas City territory
On 2nd-and-6, Baker Mayfield hits Sterling Shepard for an 18-yard gain to the Chiefs’ 49-yard line. 1:39 remaining.
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2-mnute warning
Tampa Bay goes backward on the first play of their drive with a holding penalty on Ben Bredeson.
But on 1st-and-20, Baker Mayfield hits Trey Palmer for a 14-yard gain.
The Bucs will have a 2nd-and-6 from their 33-yard line after the 2-minute warning
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Another 3-and-out for Tampa Bay
Baker Mayfield is sacked on 2nd-and-8 by Drue Tranquill and Felix Anudike-Uzomah for an eight-yard loss. On 3rd-and-16, Mayfield throws an incomplete pass and the Bucs have to punt.
Following a 31-yard punt, the Chiefs take over on their 35-yard line with 2:48 remaining.
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TOUCHDOWN, Chiefs
DeAndre Hopkins strikes again! Patrick Mahomes finds him on a slant into the end zone for a five-yard touchdown.
Chiefs take a 24–17 lead with 4:17 remaining in the fourth quarter.
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Patrick Mahomes throws left-handed, but incomplete
On 2nd-and-5, Patrick Mahomes moves to the left and throws a left-handed pass just to get rid of the ball. The pass was incomplete, but how many quarterbacks would even try that?
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Patrick Mahomes returns
Patrick Mahomes is back in at quarterback for the Chiefs. On 3rd-and-2, he doesn’t run smoothly on that left ankle but completes a seven-yard pass to Travis Kelce for a first down.
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Bucs go 3-and-out
Not what Tampa Bay wanted after the Chiefs tied the game. They go 3-and-out on their following drive.
Trenton Gill punts 40 yards, giving Kansas City the ball on their 22-yard line.
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Patrick Mahomes appears to be OK
Patrick Mahomes came out of the medical tent and appears to be all right. He’s jogging on the sideline.
ESPN’s Lisa Salters reports that the Chiefs medical staff gave her the thumbs-up, indicating that he’ll return to the game.
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Patrick Mahomes injures ankle
Patrick Mahomes wasn’t hit on the play during which he apparently hurt his ankle.
His hip and knee looked like they jammed on that play too. Mahomes is now in the medical tent.
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TOUCHDOWN, Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes flips a 7-yard toss to Samaje Perine for a touchdown.
However, Mahomes appears to have hurt his ankle while planting to make the throw. He’s being checked on the Chiefs’ sideline now.
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3rd quarter: Buccaneers 17, Chiefs 10
Kansas City is driving toward a game-tying touchdown as the third quarter ends. On 1st-and-goal from the 8-yard line, Mecole Hardman loses two yards on a short pass.
The fourth quarter begins with the Chiefs at 2nd-and-goal from the 10.
