Are the Kansas City Chiefs lucky or just better prepared?

There wasn’t much in the box score to suggest that the Kansas City Chiefs should’ve defeated the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.

The Chiefs were outgained (320-286) by their conference rival. They committed three turnovers — throwing two interceptions and losing a fumble — compared to the Bengals’ one turnover. Perhaps the most damning stat, though, came courtesy of their three-time Super Bowl MVP: Patrick Mahomes recorded only 151 passing yards, the second-fewest he’s thrown in a game. The only game Mahomes threw for fewer yards came in 2019, and he departed that contest early.

Yet, Kansas City defeated Cincinnati 26-25. The win improved the Chiefs to 2-0 as they seek to become the first team to win three Super Bowls in a row.

However, Sunday’s win was also the second straight week the Chiefs might have had some luck on their side. In Week 1, Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely caught a would-be touchdown pass that would’ve cut the Chiefs’ lead to one point as time expired in regulation. As the Ravens were preparing to set up for a two-point conversion that could’ve won them the game, an official review showed that the tip of one of Likely’s feet was out of bounds, giving the Chiefs the win.

In Week 2, a pair of late mishaps from the Bengals helped tip the game in the Chiefs’ favor. First, Bengals star receiver Ja’Marr Chase was flagged for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that pushed them back 15 yards on their penultimate possession. Two plays later, Cincinnati settled for a field goal.

[Related: Key takeaways from every Week 2 game]

Later, Bengals safety Daijahn Anthony collided with Chiefs receiver Rashee Rice on a fourth-and-16 play with less than a minute left. As the pass fell incomplete, a flag was thrown on Anthony for defensive pass interference, moving Kansas City to Cincinnati’s 36-yard line. Instead of watching the Bengals run the clock down to seal the two-point win, the Chiefs worked to get a few more yards to set up Harrison Butker for…

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Publish date : 2024-09-17 00:07:22

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