KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — On Sunday, Harrison Butker took a solitary stroll to the middle of the field after each quarter to check the swirling wind conditions at Arrowhead Stadium. He made one last trip to midfield during the 2-minute warning, with his team, the Kansas City Chiefs, trailing the Cincinnati Bengals by two points and hoping to set him up for a game-winning field goal.
With help from a pass interference penalty called against Bengals safety Daijahn Anthony on a crucial fourth down in the final minute, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs’ offense managed to line up for the kick. As Chiefs fans erupted in cheers, Butker made his way onto the field once more.
Butker is known for his accuracy and the fans had no reason to doubt him this time either.
With impressive focus, Butker nailed a 51-yard field goal as the clock ran out, sealing a 26-25 win for Kansas City.
“I try to block out the noise from the crowd,” Butker explained. “It’s tough not to feed off their energy, but I focus on the task at hand. What gets to me is the moment when I’m walking onto the field and everyone is cheering, and I’m thinking, ‘The game isn’t over yet; I still need to make this kick.’”
Patrick Mahomes finished the game with 151 passing yards, two touchdown passes, and two interceptions. However, the game’s pivotal moment came when he threw an incomplete pass intended for Rashee Rice on fourth-and-16 from the Kansas City 35-yard line. Anthony collided with Rice just before the ball arrived, resulting in a penalty flag with 38 seconds left that kept the Chiefs’ hopes alive.
This penalty occurred shortly after a long-gain play for Kansas City was wiped out by their own penalty on fourth down.
The pass interference penalty moved the Chiefs to the Cincinnati 36-yard line. They strategically ran a few more plays to run down the clock for Butker, who confidently walked off the field even before his kick cleared the goalposts.
“Sometimes you benefit from calls like that, and maybe it’ll help us later in the season,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor remarked regarding the interference call. “The officials called the game as they saw it. I think they did a fair job, and they deemed it worthy of a penalty.”
On the Bengals’ side, Joe Burrow threw for 258 yards and two touchdown passes—both of which went to Andrei Iosivas. Unfortunately for Cincinnati (0-2), they now faced their third consecutive loss against a team that has been a significant challenge for them, including a defeat to Kansas City in the AFC Championship game.
In an unusual play, Chamarri Conner returned a fumble 37 yards for a touchdown for the Chiefs, while offensive tackle Wanya Morris—who incurred a critical penalty in the game’s final moments—also caught a touchdown pass amidst the day’s unusual events.
This victory marked Kansas City’s second win decided in the final seconds, following their 27-20 win against the Baltimore Ravens in their opening match.
“We’ve played two incredible games against teams from the AFC Championship just last year,” Mahomes noted. “We’ll address our mistakes, especially on offense, and it starts with me. We’ll improve as a team moving forward.”
In their previous game, the Chiefs struggled against Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely, who managed to rack up nine catches for 111 yards and a touchdown. With Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins sidelined due to a hamstring injury, Burrow leaned heavily on tight ends Drew Sample, Mike Gesicki, and rookie Erick All Jr. to generate an offense that had stalled in their last game against New England.
Sample and Gesicki were key contributors on an early drive that resulted in a field goal. Shortly after that, Mahomes threw an interception to Akeem Davis-Gaither, which allowed All’s reception to set up Iosivas for a touchdown.
Mahomes later made up for the interception by connecting with Rice for a remarkable 44-yard touchdown pass, tying the game. However, overall, Andy Reid’s dynamic offense struggled and entered halftime trailing 16-10.
More surprising twists awaited as the second half began. Mahomes threw a pass to tackle-eligible Morris, who caught the touchdown to put the Chiefs ahead. The Bengals responded, with Burrow hitting Iosivas for his second touchdown of the game. Moments later, Burrow lost possession of the ball, allowing Conner to score again for Kansas City with a 37-yard fumble return.
Evan McPherson kicked his fourth field goal to give the Bengals a 25-23 lead with just over five minutes remaining, and their defense secured the ball afterward. However, the Chiefs managed to force a punt with 2:59 left on the clock, providing Mahomes and the team another chance to clinch the game.
Unsportsmanlike Conduct
During the fourth quarter, Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct. After being stopped short of a first down on second-and-11, he appeared upset about a missed call on a tackle. Frustrated, he confronted referee Alex Kemp, who issued the penalty. This led to a difficult third-and-22 situation for the Bengals at Kansas City’s 45-yard line. After a short completion to Gesicki, McPherson was able to kick the field goal that temporarily put Cincinnati ahead, 25-23.
Kemp clarified, “It was a clear case of abusive language directed at an official. I won’t repeat what he said, but there was no ambiguity in the language used.” Chase declined to comment on the incident after the game, simply expressing his disappointment with the loss, saying, “It doesn’t feel great losing.”
“It’s natural to be emotional,” Taylor replied. “I can’t see every interaction, so I won’t comment on specifics.”
Injuries
Bengals: Defensive tackle B.J. Hill suffered a hamstring injury in the second quarter, and teammate Sheldon Rankins also left in the fourth quarter with a similar issue.
Chiefs: Running back Isiah Pacheco exited in the final minute, and he was later seen in a walking boot using crutches as he left the stadium. Reid did not elaborate but mentioned that Pacheco would undergo tests on Monday.
Next Up
The Bengals will return home to face the Washington team on September 23.
The Chiefs are set to head to Atlanta for a Sunday night showdown.
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