INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 20: Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs looks on from the sidelines during a 23-20 win over the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium on September 20, 2020 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Patrick Mahomes had to innovate on the Chiefs game-tying 2-point conversion
The Chiefs came from behind in Los Angeles last Sunday thanks to some late-game heroics from Mahomes, a role he’s become accustomed to playing in his last season-plus, including several unreal comebacks in the postseason. The Chiefs Super Bowl run was filled with double-digit deficits that just didn’t stick, and the Chargers’ 17-6 advantage wasn’t enough to contain Mahomes, either.
After narrowing the deficit on a deep ball to Tyreek Hill, in which he had to throw the ball 50 yards while escaping the pocket, the Chiefs still needed a two-point conversion to tie the game. Mahomes found Mecole Hardman for the clutch conversion, but simply describing the play as that isn’t giving the former MVP the credit he deserves.
Hardman wasn’t Mahomes first, second, or third target
We’ll let ESPN’s Adam Teicher tell the story. Per Teicher, “Patrick Mahomes said the tying 2-point conversion in the fourth quarter on Sunday vs. Chargers was supposed to be a shovel pass to Clyde Edwards-Helaire. But he heard one of the Chargers players scream “Watch for the shovel pass” shortly before the snap. Mahomes had before breaking the huddle told Mecole Hardman and Tyreek Hill, his last reads on the play, to stay alive just in case. Mahomes threw to Hardman in the end zone to tie the game at 17-17.”
The play drawn up by Andy Reid was meant to be a shovel pass to Clyde Edwards-Helaire, which under normal circumstances would’ve been a good idea. The Chargers defense was coached up by Anthony Lynn to see that play coming, however. Upon hearing this, Mahomes had to adjust mid-play, rolling out and throwing across his body to Hardman.
Life isn’t fair. The Chargers found that out the hard way.