There’s a good chance Steve Spagnuolo never gets another head-coaching job in the NFL. Thanks to his fourth-down call in Sunday’s AFC Championship Game, there’s also a good chance he gets a fourth Super Bowl ring in six years.
“As long as they continue to let Spags be our defensive coordinator and not hire him as a head coach, we’re going to continue to win,” said All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones. “For me, he’s one of the greatest assistant coaches to ever coach the game. You look at his resume, he’s got one of the greatest resumes. He finds a way to close. That’s what Spags does.”
Facing fourth-and-5 at midfield, protecting a 32-29 lead at the two-minute warning, Spagnuolo called a corner blitz against potential NFL MVP Josh Allen. Trent McDuffie caught Buffalo off guard, freeing up George Karlaftis for immediate pressure as Allen heaved a prayer nearly caught by Dalton Kincaid. Had Kincaid somehow corralled that pass, the play likely would’ve gone down as one of the most memorable in NFL history.
Instead, two plays later, Patrick Mahomes converted his first of two clutch first downs, dumping a short pass to Isiah Pacheco for 10 yards. Then, with the Bills on their last gasp, Mahomes converted a 17-yard pass to Samaje Perine that sent the Chiefs back to the Super Bowl. Kansas City won its 17th consecutive one-score game, a 32-29 triumph that sets up an opportunity no team has ever accomplished – three straight Super Bowl titles.
“If you need one person in the sporting world to make a play with a with a championship on the line, it’s Patrick Mahomes,” said Jason Fitz on the Inside Coverage podcast Sunday night. “You’re not even thinking twice about it, either.”
Philadelphia will think twice when the Eagles meets the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX on Feb. 9. That’s because beating Kansas City is more than beating Mahomes. It’s also out-coaching Spagnuolo Andy Reid. The Eagles also have to battle an unprecedented comfort level, the result of Kansas City making its fifth Super Bowl appearance over a six-year span.
“There’s just not a situation where the Chiefs feel uncomfortable,” Frank Schwab told Fitz on Sunday night. “They’ve had so many reps in these high-pressure situations.
“They’ve just been through this so often that it’s just second nature to them. There’s a reason they’ve won 17 straight one-score games. These situations don’t bother them, and the Super Bowl’s not going to bother them, and it’s just an amazing accomplishment in this dynasty. And I know everybody in America’s turned off the Chiefs by now. I get it. They’ve won a lot. But take a step back, touch grass a little bit, actually appreciate what you are seeing with this team, this quarterback, this coach. It’s special. They’re one win away from doing something no team has ever done before. And I honestly didn’t know if it would happen in my lifetime.”
Mahomes’ lifetime had never seen as many rushing touchdowns in a game. He punched in two scores in a contest that featured four lead changes. He also passed for 245 yards and a touchdown.
“It’s just so hard to get to the Super Bowl and I don’t take it for granted, and to do it again at Arrowhead Stadium was special,” Mahomes said. “You get that trophy on that stage and you look around here and there’s not an empty seat — it’s special.”
The Chiefs got on the board with a strong opening drive dominated by Kareem Hunt, who was unemployed for six moths this offseason until Kansas City on Sept. 18 returned him to where his NFL career started. Hunt’s early touchdown gave him a TD in each of his six career postseason games and set the tone for a thrilling evening.
Rookie Xavier Worthy turned in arguably his best game, posting 101 scrimmage yards and scoring on a remarkable, pylon-diving reception that put the Chiefs back in the lead, 14-10, in the second quarter.
Kansas City has nine consecutive postseason victories, tying the 1961-67 Packers for the second-longest streak in NFL history. They can tie the record, held by the Patriots from 2001-05, with a 10th straight victory when they meet the Eagles in the Super Bowl.
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