Five things that stood out about Chiefs’ OT win vs. Bucs after Mahomes injury scare

The first three-peat in NFL history.

An unbeaten season.

At about 9:27 p.m. Monday in Kansas City, they appeared to be crashing down.

And then? Something of a deep breath.

The Chiefs sidestepped a Patrick Mahomes injury scare for a thrilling 30-24 win in overtime against the Buccaneers in the rain at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

After the Chiefs won the overtime coin toss, Kareem Hunt punched in the game-winner from two yards out on the opening possession.

The Chiefs are 8-0.

For all that developed during the game, though, we have an obvious place to start the five observations from immediately afterward:

1. The Patrick Mahomes injury scare

The most nerve-wracking moment of a Chiefs season that has included six wins by one possession came on a play in which they actually scored a touchdown.

Mahomes flicked a pass to Samaje Perine, but his left leg jammed into the grass as he planted to throw on the run, and he immediately hobbled over in pain.

The Chiefs termed it an ankle injury, and it’s worth noting that he spent practice this past week with his left ankle already heavily taped after tweaking it in KC’s win at Las Vegas.

Mahomes initially needed help getting off the field, and the look on his face suggested some concern.

Instead? A return fitting of his history.

The most serious Mahomes injury came in 2019 — a Super Bowl year — when he dislocated his kneecap on a quarterback sneak, a play the Chiefs still haven’t re-inserted into their playbook. He returned after missing only two weeks, and he attempted to return after missing only two series.

An ankle injury slowed his 2022 postseason. Well, kind of. He was demonstratively ticked that Andy Reid required he go take X-rays before continuing to play. And on that bum ankle, his run up the gut of the Philadelphia defense set up the championship-winning field goal.

It’s a theme — and one we should probably credit more.

2. The DeAndre Hopkins factor

We’ve seen Mahomes do things no other quarterback can do.

On Monday, we saw him do something that he rarely does.

Throw into coverage.

The target might have a little something to do with that.

Mahomes lofted a ball downfield and offered DeAndre Hopkins a chance to make a play, and for once, a Chiefs wide receiver made one. Hopkins hauled in a 35-yard reception that set up the Chiefs’ only touchdown of the first half.

It’s just the second contested catch that a Chiefs wide receiver has made all season.

Which was the crux of the Hopkins addition: Would Mahomes grow more comfortable throwing into tight windows? He does it less frequently than literally any quarterback in the league, but he’s also not had a wide receiver who brings them in as routinely as Hopkins.

Just two weeks into the marriage, we already have an example.

And then another. Hopkins had the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter — on a play in which Mahomes never considered going elsewhere, but rather just trusted his receiver would get open.

Hopkins had eight catches for 86 yards and two touchdowns.

3. The second-half difference

For all of the attention that Mahomes and Hopkins will receive — rightfully so, by the way — the Chiefs turned elsewhere to shift the momentum of the second half.

They went to the run.

Kareem Hunt had just seven carries in the Chiefs’ initial six possessions. But facing a seven-point deficit, KC turned not to Mahomes, but to Hunt.

And the interior offensive line.

Hunt carried seven times on a game-tying drive in the third quarter, and then seven more on the go-ahead drive in the fourth.

More simply: The Chiefs bullied the Buccaneers in the trenches —same as they’ve been doing all year. The Chiefs lead the league in success percentage on running plays, and it helped Monday that Tampa Bay had allowed the highest yards per carry (5.2).

4. The coaching decision

The Buccaneers played a pretty good football game, and they coached a pretty good football game.

With an exception.

Tampa Bay head coach Todd Bowles left the game up to the chance of a coin toss — when he could’ve put it in the hands of an offense that was moving the football.

After the Buccaneers tied the game with 27 seconds left, Bowles elected to kick the extra point rather than attempting a 2-point conversion for a late lead.

The Buccaneers had just moved 81 yards on 10 plays in just 1 minute, 49 seconds — and, most importantly, that left the Chiefs’ defense gassed.

It was an opportunity for a road underdog to benefit.

Bowles preferred the coin.

The Bucs lost that toss and they never possessed the football again.

5. A special KC homecoming

I wrote about this a day earlier, but it’s worth mentioning again here.

Because Rachaad White made it worth mentioning again.

White, a Center High School graduate, grew up just 10 miles from Arrowhead Stadium, but his first trip to the Chiefs’ home venue came Monday.

While in uniform.

His first trip to the end zone came 20 minutes later.

White scored on a seven-yard pitch to give the Buccaneers a 7-3 lead in the second quarter. It’s a cool moment for White, who starred at Center High yet did not receive a single Division I football scholarship offer.

He attended Division II Nebraska-Kearney before moving on to Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, California, and faced plenty of adversity along the way.