The Kansas City Chiefs have yet to dominate a game in the early stages of the 2024 NFL regular season…but the two-time defending Super Bowl champions are 2-0 anyway, securing two close wins against AFC contenders Baltimore and Cincinnati.
Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs walked a tightrope against the Bengals on Sunday and trailed deep into the fourth quarter of this Week 2 showdown. But a hotly-debated pass interference call on Cincy rookie Daijahn Anthony swung the momentum in Kansas City‘s favor — and saved star tight end Travis Kelce‘s blushes.
Championship mettle on display amid Kelce’s quiet day
Kelce on Sunday had his quietest game in years, catching just one pass for five yards as the Bengals concocted a scheme that made Mahomes look elsewhere. Without his favorite player, Mahomes himself had a modest day, throwing for just 151 yards and two interceptions to go with his two touchdowns.
But even in unfamiliar circumstances — namely, the Bengals blanketing Kelce with two players at nearly every turn — Mahomes still found a way to will Kansas City to a vital early-season W.
“That’s why you’ve seen guys like Rashee (Rice) and (Xavier) Worthy — if you look at the first touchdown, I’m actually looking at Trav, and the backside safety goes all the way across the field to help guard Travis, and then you throw the ball down the sideline to Rashee, and that’s kind of what they’ve been doing,” Mahomes told the media following Sunday’s game.
Mahomes’ inventiveness and creativity shined through on his third-quarter touchdown pass to backup offensive lineman Wanya Morris — showing once again that the Chiefs have seemingly-limitless ways to win a game. And from Mahomes’ point of view, Kelce’s veteran leadership even during an “off day” was among the most encouraging takeaways from Sunday’s 26-25 win.
“Obviously, we’ve played two opponents that we’ve played a lot, so they have a plan on how they’re going to account for Travis,” Mahomes explained. “As the season goes on, he’s going to get his catches, he’s going to get his yards. The leader that he is — what’s special is he’s hyping everybody up, he’s keeping everybody motivated, and that’s what you need out of your great players.”
