The Kansas City Chiefs got back to winning ways on Sunday. After seeing their undefeated streak snapped by the Buffalo Bills in Week 11 of the 2024 NFL season, Patrick Mahomes and company bounced back with a hard-fought win over the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium.
The Chiefs were in control for much of the game, but a weak performance in the fourth quarter almost cost them the win. In fact, it was a last-second field goal by Spencer Shrader what gave Kansas City the edge over the Panthers.
Speaking to reporters after the game, Mahomes warned his teammates that the Chiefs must play better throughout the entire fourth quarter, and not only step up in the clutch moments in the final minutes.
“We’ve got to be better the entire fourth quarter, not just those big moments at the end of the game,” Mahomes said, via Charles Goldman of A to Z Sports.
The Chiefs entered the fourth quarter leading 27-16, but were outscored 11-3 by the Panthers in the fourth quarter. Those three points came in the final play of the game with Shrader’s successful field goal. It was enough to get a 30-27 win, but Mahomes knows his team could’ve put the game to bed earlier.
Mahomes addresses clutch scramble vs Panthers
While Shrader took much of the limelight for giving the Chiefs the upper hand in Carolina, the truth is that Mahomes set him up for success. With the clock ticking and pressure mounting, the 2x NFL MVP came up with a big play that paved the way to victory.
There were less than 50 seconds remaining when Mahomes pulled off a 33-yard scramble, leaving the Chiefs in field goal range. In his postgame press conference, the quarterback addressed this clutch moment.
“I think it’s just certain times in games,” Mahomes said. “It’s not like I pre-plan that type of stuff. It’s just, whenever it comes down to it and you’ve got to make the play, I feel like I try to go out there and make the play. That’s why I feel like it happens later in games sometimes and in the playoffs. You don’t want to slide, you have to kind of put your body out there knowing that you can take hits and stuff like that, but we’ve been able to make some big runs in some big moments.“
What’s next for Mahomes and the Chiefs?
With their victory in Carolina, the Chiefs improved to 10-1 in the 2024 NFL season to continue leading the AFC. It will be a short week for Mahomes and company, with a divisional game right around the corner.
Kansas City will welcome AFC West rivals Las Vegas Raiders to Arrowhead on Friday, November 29, in a highly anticipated Black Friday Game, where Andy Reid’s team is seen as huge favorite.