Flipping the switch
It was a few minutes into the second quarter when it felt like Chiefs Kingdom was ready to revolt. They were down 7-0 to the anemic Steelers at home in the opening playoff game and the game plan seemed absurd—at least on offense. Everything felt forced. The play calling was odd. Nothing was clicking. .
To put some numbers behind it, through their first five drives, the Chiefs ran 19 plays for 72 total yards and zero points. They also had two turnovers in that span, including one fumble that Steelers defensive end T.J. Watt returned for a touchdown. It was an abysmal showing, to be sure, and fans weren’t sure what to make of the display.
Then suddenly a switch was flipped. Shortly after the defense forced another three-and-out (more on them in a minute), the Chiefs went 76 yards, 74 yards, and 80 yards on successive drives to go up 21-7 by halftime. Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce came up with big catches. Jerick McKinnon went off. Suddenly it felt as if some unseen shackles had shaken loose and the Chiefs, as we know them, were set free.
It’s this ability to suddenly flip a switch, come alive, and dominate their opponent that makes the Chiefs such a scary franchise for others to play. It can feel as if the momentum is heading in one direction and suddenly a few minutes can completely alter the game script. Chiefs Kingdom would, of course, love to see a game in which the flip never needed to be switched in the first place, but it’s a reminder to us all to never, ever doubt the Chiefs’ ability to do what they’ve always done with Mahomes under center.