The Kansas City Chiefs narrowly beat the Cincinnati Bengals, 26-25, in a dramatic finish on Sunday. On Monday, Nick Wright, host of “First Things First” on Fox Sports, launched a sarcastic critique of the prevalent online chatter claiming that the Chiefs were “lucky” and that the league favored them with the Week 2 win.
“The [Chiefs] lucky for a number of reasons. First and foremost that Cincinnati keeps coming to Arrowhead and having the exact same thing happen. A young player who probably shouldn't even be in the game commits a penalty that everyone knows is a penalty but Bengals fans still whine about it, and then Harrison Butker kicks the field goal [and] Joe Burrow's sad,” Nick Wright said in a scathing tirade towards the Cincinnati Bengals.
The “lucky” play involved a pass interference call on Bengals cornerback Daijhan Anthony during the Chiefs' final drive. Although Mahomes' pass to wide receiver Rashee Rice fell incomplete, the penalty granted Kansas City a crucial first down.
With just three seconds left and the Chiefs trailing by two points, Harrison Butker nailed a 51-yard field goal to give the Kansas City Chiefs the lead and secure the win as time expired.
Butker's kick ensured a Kansas City victory despite the Chiefs' struggles, including three turnovers, a 1-for-8 performance on third downs, and several costly penalties. Ultimately, the Chiefs managed to overcome these challenges and secure their second consecutive win to start the season.
Nick Wrights rant on Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals
“They are also lucky that it is now officially, if it ever wasn't, back to being Arrowhead Stadium,” Wright said.
“Rest in peace “Burrowhead” Stadium. It's like we never knew you. You existed for one game because of one weekend and one flukey overtime,” he continued by dropping the banner in celebration of the Chiefs' win, officially putting “Burrowhead” to rest.
Sunday's win demanded a total team effort from the Chiefs in a game where the lead frequently shifted. The Bengals held a seven-point lead early in the second quarter, but Mahomes quickly turned things around with a 44-yard touchdown pass to Rashee Rice along the sideline.
The Bengals responded with two field goals for the rest of the second quarter, but Mahomes regained the lead for the Chiefs with a 1-yard touchdown pass to offensive tackle Wanya Morris early in the second half.
The play, where Morris initially acted as an extra blocker before slipping through the Bengals' defense into the end zone, marked the first touchdown of his career.
Seesaw match between the Chiefs and the Bengals
Kansas City briefly took the lead, but Cincinnati quickly reclaimed it as Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow hit wide receiver Andrei Iosivas for a 3-yard touchdown on their next drive. This fourth-down score marked Iosivas' second touchdown catch of the game.
With Cincinnati leading by five points, Mahomes threw an interception on the Chiefs' next drive. However, just three plays later, Chiefs defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton forced a fumble from Burrow, which safety Chamarri Conner recovered and returned 38 yards for a go-ahead touchdown.
Conner's performance was outstanding, highlighted by his sack of Burrow on third down late in the fourth quarter. This crucial play forced the Bengals to punt with just 2:35 left in the game, despite having taken a go-ahead field goal right after Conner’s touchdown.
The Chiefs faced a challenging fourth down on their next drive, but a pass interference call kept their drive alive and set up Butker for a 51-yard field goal attempt. Butker delivered, and despite a game filled with dramatic shifts in momentum, Kansas City secured the victory.
“They are lucky that Patrick Mahomes can have, to my eye, arguably the worst game of his career and they win. Because the Bengals, it was their Super Bowl. They sold tickets to it for a watch party. And the Chiefs can just take a leisurely stroll through your Super Bowl,” Nick Wright concluded.
The Chiefs will now shift their focus to their next game against the Atlanta Falcons, scheduled for Sunday Night Football next weekend.
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