Ball keeps bouncing the Chiefs’ way
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The odds have been firmly stacked against the Kansas City Chiefs countless times this season.
They’ve defied them almost every time.
Start with the season opener against San Diego, when the Chiefs pulled off the franchise’s biggest comeback to win in overtime.
Then consider improbable victories over Jacksonville and Carolina in back-to-back weeks, or more recently, two crucial road victories.
Two weeks ago in Denver, the Chiefs rallied to force overtime with a touchdown and late 2-point conversion, lost the coin toss and held on defense — when the Broncos missed a field goal — before doing enough to kick their own field goal for a 30-27 victory.
And on Sunday in Atlanta, Eric Berry returned an interception for a first-half touchdown, then took another pick on a 2-point conversion try 99 yards for a defensive conver- sion when the Falcons were trying to go up by three points in the closing minutes of regulation. Kansas City went on to win, 29-28.
In some respects, the Chiefs are the epitome of resilience.
“It’s funny how you put things like that,” Chiefs tight
end Travis Kelce said. “I put it into the perspective that if we lose by a touchdown and I drop a pass that I could have taken to the house, I blame the entire game on me. It’s football. That ball is shaped awkward so it can bounce in any which direction. That’s why we love the game.”
Still, it seems almost unfathomable that the ball keeps bouncing the Chiefs’ way.
They lead the league in come-from-behind victories. They are 9-3 and firmly in contention not only for the playoffs but a first-round bye. And with Oakland (10-2) coming to town for a Thursday night showdown at Arrowhead Stadium, they have a chance to seize control of the AFC West.
They’ve already beaten the Raiders once. Two victories would give them an important tiebreaker.
“Normally we talk about the 24-hour rule, enjoying a victories or getting over a loss and bouncing back,” Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith said, “and now it’s basically the plane ride home. It’s that short a week.
“It’s a division game coming up and a big atmosphere, so everything is sped up,” he said. “I think that recovery is important on a short week, guys taking care of their bodies and trying to get it back as soon as possible is the most taxing thing.”