Baker Mayfield called the coin toss for overtime and was wrong. And there went the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ chances to hand the Kansas City Chiefs their first defeat.
The Chiefs drove 70 yards and Kareem Hunt scored on a one-yard run as KC improved to 8-0 with a 30-24 victory over Tampa Bay on Monday at Arrowhead.
The game had been sent to overtime when Mayfield drove Tampa Bay to a touchdown that concluded with a pass to Ryan Miller.
The coin toss was lost and for all intents, so was the game.
Mahomes had been hobbled. For a second, Arrowhead Stadium’s faith wobbled.
Having injured an ankle while throwing a TD pass to Samaje Perine that tied the game, Mahomes came out of the blue medical tent and found DeAndre Hopkins for a touchdown that gave the Chiefs a 24-17 lead with 4:17 left. Buccaneers.
The Chiefs were 12-of-18 on third down, a key to the game.
Tampa Bay had gotten the ball back before the two-minute warning after a three-and-out by the Chiefs.
The Bucs drove down the field methodically and Mayfield found Palmer for 19 to the one-yard line. After an incompletion, the Bucs went play-action and Mayfield hit Miller for the score.
Rather than go for two and the win, the Buccaneers kicked the PAT to tie the game.
Mayfield was 6-of-8 for 68 yards on the game-tying drive.