In complete control of the AFC Championship Game, the Kansas City Chiefs looked to be well on their way toward advancing to their third consecutive Super Bowl. Having a commanding 11-point lead over the Cincinnati Bengals with seconds remaining in the first half, the Chiefs were deep in Cincinnati Bengals territory and on the doorstep of scoring again.
The Chiefs had five seconds left and no timeouts remaining, a field goal would have put them up 14 points heading into the half. Instead, Andy Reid trusted Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs went for the touchdown -- resulting in a swing pass to Tyreek Hill that failed to get into the end zone.
What a stop by the @Bengals defense to end the half! #NFLPlayoffs #RuleTheJungle
— NFL (@NFL) January 30, 2022
📺: #CINvsKC on CBS
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Kansas City didn't get any points and Cincinnati had all the momentum going into the half, which carried over the rest of the game as the Chiefs lost 27-24 in overtime. Mahomes made the wrong decision, but Reid will take the blame for putting him in that position.
"I was hoping we could get the ball in the end zone. I probably gave him the wrong play, first of all," Reid said after Sunday's loss. "To start with, I could have given him something better than that where the play was open in the end zone, and then we wouldn't have had to go through that. I'll take responsibility for that one."
Mahomes completed just 54.8% of his passes in the second half for 105 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions in the second half and overtime. He was sacked four times and had three giveaways as the Chiefs scored just three points on seven possessions in the second half and overtime.
The failed play changed everything for the Chiefs, one Mahomes isn't letting himself off the hook for.
"I knew we needed to get points," Mahomes said. "We called a play that we were trying to get someone over the middle quick and I was supposed to throw the ball away. I got a little greedy there and tried to get it to Tyreek (Hill) for a touchdown. They had two people out there so in the long run of things, it looks bad.
"But if we had another chance I would've went for another play again."
