The Cincinnati Bengals appeared to have the Kansas City Chiefs on the ropes on Sunday.
But they gave Patrick Mahomes once last chance. And as he usually does, Mahomes rallied the Chiefs to a game-winning score to secure a 26-25 thriller over the Bengals.
Mahomes overcame two interceptions and led the Chiefs to a game-winning field goal aided by a fourth-and-16 conversion. The Bengals were flagged for pass interference on a downfield pass with 38 seconds remaining to keep the Chiefs drive alive and put Harrison Butker in range for a 51-yard field goal. Butker sent it through the uprights as time expired to secure the win.
The final lead change was the fifth of a thrilling second half.
The Bengals had a chance to ice the game on offense after forcing a punt with 6:57 remaining. But the Chiefs came up with a third down sack of Burrow with 2:46 left to force the Bengals to punt the ball back.
Cincinnati then forced Kansas City into fourth-and-6 on the ensuing Chiefs possession. Mahomes found Rashee Rice for a first down, but an illegal-hands-to-the face penalty negated the gain and put the Chiefs in fourth-and-16.
On Kansas City’s last gasp, Mahomes scrambled passed deep downfield targeting Rice again. Rice didn’t catch the ball this time, but safety Daijahn Anthony made early contact on defense and was flagged for pass interference.
The penalty gave the Chiefs 29 yards and a fresh set of downs at the Cincinnati 36-yard-line with 38 seconds remaining. Four plays and four yards later, Butker converted the game-winning field goal.
With the win, the Chiefs improved to 2-0 on their quest for a three-peat following a Week 1 won over the Baltimore Ravens. They’ve now vanquished two of their projected top challengers in the AFC.
For the Bengals, it was a difficult loss that dropped them to 0-2 after they held a late fourth-quarter lead against the Super Bowl champions. They were much improved from last week’s stunning loss at home to the New England Patriots. But they weren’t good enough to hang on for a win.
Cincinnati scored first with a first-quarter field goal and didn’t trail until the Chiefs scored a third-quarter touchdown to take a 17-16 lead. The Bengals countered with a 70-yard touchdown drive that ended with Burrow’s second touchdown pass of the day to second-year receiver Andrei Iosivas.
Bengals cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt then came up with one of the best plays of the young NFL season with a spectacular one-handed interception of Mahomes to get the ball back for the Bengals with a 22-17 lead and 2:16 remaining in the third quarter.
The interception was the second of the day thrown by Mahomes. But the Bengals couldn’t capitalize.
Three plays later, the Chiefs sacked Burrow as he scrambled on third-and-10. Burrow fumbled the ball, and cornerback Chamarri Conner scooped it up for a 38-yard touchdown return to put the Chiefs up, 23-22.
Kansas City’s two-point conversion failed, but the Chiefs were back in the lead thanks to the game-shifting play.
The Bengals responded with a 33-yard field goal drive to retake the lead, 25-23 on a 53-yard Evan McPherson kick. The drive was stunted by an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase for confronting an official to argue a call.
The penalty put Cincinnati in third-and-22 instead of third-and-7. The Bengals didn’t get another first down and settled for the field goal. But it wasn’t enough to hold on for the the win.
