Oh, baby. Football is finally back. After an offseason that lasted six months but felt more like an eternity, the Kansas City Chiefs will take to the field once again this weekend for their season opener against the Arizona Cardinals.
Like Chiefs fans everywhere, I cannot wait for the new season to kick off. I’m pumped to to see the Chiefs back in action and I am excited to see what this new-look offense and exciting young defense can accomplish this season. I can’t wait to see Patrick Mahomes carve up opposition defenses, and I’m eager to see some of the crazy, dazzling new plays Andy Reid has no doubt concocted.
But amidst all this excitement and anticipation, there is one thing that I absolutely am not looking forward to this season: hearing broadcasts mention K.C.’s cataclysmic capitulation in the AFC championship game against Cincinnati.
Unfortunately, broadcasters are likely going to bring up the very frustrating way that last season ended for the KC Chiefs—again and again.
You can count on it being mentioned a lot. In fact, I can already tell that very topic will come up within 30 seconds of Kansas City’s offense taking the field for the first time in Arizona. I can already hear exactly how it is going to play out on the CBS broadcast on Sunday.
Jim Nantz: “And here comes Patrick Mahomes and his new-look Chiefs offense as they take the field for the first time this season. Tony, what are you expecting from a Kansas City team that will be hoping to end its season by lifting the Lombardi Trophy in this very stadium in February?
Tony Romo: “Jim, I’m expecting this team to come out fired up. After the way their season came to an end with that horror second half against Cincinnati in the AFC title game, I think the Chiefs will have a huge chip on their shoulder and plenty to prove this season.”
Pain. The loss to the Bengals still hurts. After years and years of playoff heartbreak, it seemed like Kansas City had finally put their nightmarish playoff past behind them by winning a Super Bowl. But no, it turns out that even with a team loaded with stars on both sides of the ball, old habits die hard. Sometimes the Chiefs are still going to Chief.
K.C. blew it that day at Arrowhead, and now it has to live with the consequences. Unfortunately for Chiefs fans everywhere, we have to as well. Whenever that game is mentioned, memories of that horrific day and flashbacks of an empty box and eight players in coverage will come rushing in.
Sunday likely won’t be the last time the ‘Cincinnati capitulation’ comes up. The first time the Chiefs have the lead at halftime again? It will be mentioned. If K.C. scores 28 points in the first half again? It will be mentioned. If the Chiefs look like they might blow a lead in the second half again? It will be mentioned. When the Chiefs face Cincinnati again in week 13? It will definitely be mentioned, and there will likely be footage and replays to make the reliving experience even more painful.
As a Chiefs fan, the loss to the Bengals is something I would like to not think about ever again, but unfortunately, I have a feeling the broadcasters won’t let that happen. Chiefs fans will always have one small crumb of comfort from that game, however—at least it wasn’t as bad as Atlanta’s 28-3 comeback loss in the Super Bowl.