Chiefs vs. Patriots: Key plays that determined the AFC Championship game

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KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – JANUARY 20: Rob Gronkowski #87 of the New England Patriots makes a catch against Daniel Sorensen #49 of the Kansas City Chiefs in the second half during the AFC Championship Game at Arrowhead Stadium on January 20, 2019 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

3rd and 10, 13:40 OT, 31-31 tie

Here we go again. The Chiefs have the Patriots in a third-and-long. Where do you think the ball is going? Edelman, on the exact same thing for the third time. This time, Steven Nelson and Kendall Fuller have a breakdown of communication. Both move to the outside receiver, leaving Julian Edelman wide open over the middle for the first down.

3rd and 10, 12:51 OT, 31-31 tie

Yes, this is the same exact thing. On 3rd-and-long again, Edelman moves to a stack and gets wide open over the middle. The Patriots successfully break the Chiefs back again. To me, these plays are what put the nail in the coffin for Bob Sutton’s ultimate dismissal.

3rd and 10, 11:57 OT, 31-31 tie

This is painful. Again, the Chiefs have the Patriots in a third-and-long and they convert. This time, Eric Berry plays Gronkowski’s outside shoulder because he does not want to get beat deep again. Unfortunately for him, he just cuts the route inside on a slant and again, Berry cannot keep up. Easy play for Brady and company that leads to the victory in overtime.

Final Analysis:

What an incredibly disappointing end to a wonderful season. The Chiefs offense was among the best ever, but what ended their season was the defense that was among the worst in franchise history. In 2018, the Chiefs gave up the most first downs of all-time. If you take into account their success in rushing the passer, this is absurd. The Chiefs were in need of a defensive boost last season and instead they got worse. Whoever is hired to take control of the defense will have a huge task at hand.

While I am optimistic, I know that the AFC Championship is not always a guaranteed thing. The Chiefs will need to continue dominance on offense and an overhaul on defense if they hope to be in position again next season. The team made too many mistakes and showed that they did not quite have what it took for a Super Bowl this season. However, the future is bright and, chances are, the Chiefs will get another chance soon.

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