CHIEFS INTEND TO AVENGE LOSS IN TENNESSEE
A week after their historical comeback eliminated the Houston Texans, the Kansas City Chiefs now play host to the AFC championship game against the Tennessee Titans, who were the Houston Oilers before relocating in 1997 to Memphis and then sliding on over to their current home in Nashville the following season.
The teams have met twice previously in the post-season, with each winning a game. The first time was in 1993, when the 12-4 (Oilers) Titans lost 28-20 to the 11-5 Chiefs.
The second was a 2017 wild card game that saw the Titans score a 22-21 victory over K.C. at Arrowhead.
That contest is best remembered for the Mariota-to-mariota touchdown pass that started Tennessee on its comeback from an 18-point deficit midway through the third quarter. Quarterback Marcus Mariota, who is now Ryan Tannehill’s backup, was looking to hit Corey Davis on third down from the Chiefs’ six. His attempt was batted away by Chiefs DB Darrelle Revis but came right back to Mariota, who made the catch, took a couple of steps and dove across the goal-line.
More significant, of course, is the most recent history between the teams.
Back in Week 10, the Titans registered a 35-32 overtime victory over the Chiefs in Nashville, with Derrick Henry running for 188 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries. Tannehill completed 13 of 19 passes for 181 yards and two more majors.
Meanwhile, Patrick Mahomes was playing his first game since missing two outings with a dislocated kneecap and he was exceptional, with 36 completions for 446 yards and three touchdowns.
The Titans’ defence bent, but didn’t always break. It forced the Chiefs to line up for five field goals, with Harrison Butker making four.
The end result improved the Titans to 5-5 and left the Chiefs at 6-4. It was also the last time Kansas City lost a game.
Since that November game, the Chiefs are 7-0 while scoring 218 points and allowing just 100. In other words, since that loss in Nashville, they’ve been hurting opponents.
Will the Chiefs use that loss in Tennessee as added motivation on Sunday? They shouldn’t need it at this point, but heading into the divisional round victory game against Houston, defensive end Frank Clark hearkened back to the Texans’ last trip to Arrowhead: a 31-24 victory for the visitors in Week 6.
Apparently, the Texans topped the win with a little trash talk.
“Last time they were here they beat us, just smacked us in our face,” Clark remembered after Sunday’s payback. “That’s the one thing I remember. At the end of the day, you’re talking to the wrong guy, talking to the wrong team. They talk all that stuff, and they come out here and we embarrass them. We sent them home early.”
The Chiefs outscored Houston 51-7 after falling behind 24-0.
The opportunity for revenge presents itself again for the Chiefs. And Clark is wringing his hands together in anticipation.
“They beat us in Tennessee, right,” he said, breaking into a smile. “We owe them one. Period.”
Yes, that loss to the Titans in Week 10 just might be the best thing that ever happened to the Chiefs.
CHEERS AND BEERS
According to Next Gen Stats, Clark’s third-down sack of Deshaun Watson took 10.8 seconds, the second-longest sack this season. Clark travelled 42.2 yards of in-play distance to bring Watson down.
“He’s relentless,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said of Clark, who was acquired in a trade with the Seahawks last April. “That one sack kind of tells you the whole story. He was running around chasing him, missed him twice, got back up and sacked him. That’s how he’s wired.” … Next Gen Stats also tells us that during his 58-yard kick return that ignited the K.C. comeback, Mecole Hardman reached a top speed of 35.18 km/h. The Chiefs’ 21-year old rookie is the only player in the NFL with more than three touches over 34.6 km/h this season … Chiefs left tackle Eric Fisher addressed his Stone Cold Steve Austin impersonation, when he celebrated a touchdown by taking two beers from fans and smashing them together before pouring them over his head.
“Give me a hell yeah,” Fisher said on a Twitter video he did with a frosty one after the game. “Y’all were amazing today. I appreciate you all big time.” He asked the fan whose beers he borrowed to identify themselves, and they did, so it’s safe to assume everybody’s a winner.
THE POINT AFTER
Reid is 1-8 all-time against the Titans … With seven TDS, the Chiefs ran out of fireworks that are set off after at the stadium after they score. “I guess that’s a good thing, one way or another,” said Reid … Last year’s experience playing in the AFC championship game is sure to help the Chiefs on Sunday. “For the guys that were here, I think that they understand it’s different at every level that you go up in the playoffs,” said Reid. “There’s a certain preparation that you need. They were happy about the result of (Sunday’s) game, but not to the point where they didn’t realize that there is another week coming up here against a real good football team. Nobody was in there doing backflips over the last game. They understand what they have ahead of them.”