KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Chiefs pulled out a thrilling 27-24 overtime victory against the Baltimore Ravens Sunday, but Harrison Butker's 35-yard game-winning field goal would never have taken place without left tackle Eric Fisher saving the Chiefs from utter disaster.
The Chiefs appeared in business with a first down at the Baltimore 12-yard line. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes dropped back to pass, and after failing to immediately find a target he started flushing to his right. Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs got around right tackle Mitchell Schwartz, however, forcing Mahomes to scramble back to his left.
Suddenly, inexplicably, the ball fell from Mahomes right and started bouncing free on the Arrowhead Stadium turf.
Fisher had one through go through his head.
“We need that ball, so I got to go get it,” Fisher said with a big smile after the game.
Suggs had a chance at the ball but missed. Fisher dove on it like al live grenade and cradled the ball in his arms away from Suggs. The Chiefs lost 13 yards on the play, but Fisher saved the possession, allowing Butker's game-winning opportunity three plays later.
Fisher said the Chiefs offense this week focused on finishing every play.
“Late in the game like that, just battling our butts off to keep it going and make the most of everything,” Fisher said.
Center Mitch Morse said that kind of play takes practice to get perfect.
“Talk about a huge play in the game,”That's just the kind of guy he is. He’s finishing around the ball. He has worked on that in practice, and in a big moment like that, that is the play we need and he's able to pull it out.”
Fisher and the offense line face a number of trials on Sunday. A knee injury knocked left guard Cam Erving out of the game, and the Chiefs faced a Ravens defense seemingly determined to bring every blitz imaginable at Mahomes.
“We were thrown in a lot of different situations today and as a great we kind of come together and take one thing at a time,” Fisher said.
The offensive line almost came up big on another of the game's most crucial plays. When Mahomes connected with receiver Tyreek Hill for a 48-yard gain on fourth-and-9 to setup the game-tying touchdown late in the fourth quarter, the quarterback credited the line for helping him buy the time necessary for Hill to break free.
“On fourth and nine, (the defense) played more coverage and the offensive line blocked well and gave me enough time to extend the play and complete the ball,” Mahomes said.
Fisher had a good look at the play from his position on the field.
“Anytime Pat takes off you're just trying to find a guy to keep off of him,” Fisher said. “He launched that ball down the field and we see Tyreek taking off with it like that. Pretty exciting feeling.”
For an offensive lineman like Fisher, seeing Mahomes make a play like that makes for a good day at work.
“I think we see something new with him every game,” Fisher said. “We're just having fun with it. A real good challenge today, facing a real good defense, so coming out with that win was a good feeling.”
