KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Chiefs earned the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye in the AFC playoffs with an assist from the Miami Dolphins, who picked up a 27-24 victory in New England, allowing the Chiefs to move ahead of the Patriots.
“All in all a great game, and hail to the Dolphins,” head coach Andy Reid said after the game.
Dolphins quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for 320 yards and a score while scrambling for another touchdown in the win. He led a 13-play, 75-yard drive for the game-winning score, capped off 5-yard touchdown pass to tight end Mike Gesicki.
“I want to send him some Kansas City steaks, he did a nice job,” Reid said of Fitzpatrick. “I can't do that through because that's tampering, so I'm not going to do that, but he deserves them.”
Former Chiefs wide receiver Albert Wilson had five catches for 59 yards and also completed a 20-yard pass. His one-time teammate Tyreek Hill planned to reach out to Wilson after the game.
“As soon as I get home I'm going to call him and say, 'Thank you, bro, you're still showing love to the Chiefs,'” Hill said. “Thank you, we needed that.
Chiefs running back Damien Williams spent seasons in Miami before signing with Kansas City last season. He plans to thank his former teammates for the win.
“They're all my friends today, I'll tell you that,” Williams said.
Hill runs down Williams, again
Running back Damien Williams broke through the Chargers defense for an 84-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, and for the second time this season Hill tried to outrace his teammate to the end zone.
As Williams darted down the sideline, Hill quickly raced to catch up with Williams, just as he did on William's 91-yard touchdown run in Week 9 against Minnesota. This time, however, Williams appeared to hold off his teammate at the goal line.
“Last time he caught me,” Williams said. “This time, no, he can cancel that. I won that race.”
Hill hit a maximum speed of 22.81 miles per hour on the play, tied for the fastest speed by any player this season. Hill's second fastest play of the season came on the earlier Williams touchdown run, with a speed of 22.64 miles per hour.
Mahomes thought Hill caught Williams after the running back slowed down at the end of the run.
“I just hope I never break one because I'm going to have to hand it to Tyreek and let him make the score,” Mahomes said.
Hill takes blame for interception
Mahomes threw just his fifth interception of the season on a breakdown in communication with Hill.
“It was just me,” Hill said. “I take the blame on that. Bad route running by me, I take it.”
Mahomes and Hill later connected on 47-yard completion in the fourth quarter. Hill found himself lined up on linebacker Drue Tranquill, and Mahomes took advantage of the matchup. Hill had to slow down for the ball, which prevented a touchdown
“It wasn't a great spiral, but it was right there and he made a great catch on it,” Mahomes said.
As Hill spoke to reporters after the game, Mahomes walked by and called out the receiver's name. Hill jabbed his quarterback about the under throw.
“Don't talk to me, bro, you left me short on that last ball,” Hill said with a laugh.
Rivers, Jones Exchange Words
Emotions looked like they might boil over early in Sunday's game when Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers and Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones got in each other's face on the first play from scrimmage.
River said he though Jones was going to break his leg.
“It was one of those that I thought was a little cheap just because he didn't need to finish me off when I was already caught underneath him,” Rivers said.
Rivers said the two spoke during breaks in the action and after the game, saying “it's all good.” He also heaped praise on Jones.
“Talk about one of the best defensive tackles in the league,” Rivers said. “If he's not first, then he's a really close second. He's a heck of a player."
