Games are often decided by moments, and you could make the case that the Kansas City Chiefs' entire 2025 season came down to one play in the 20-10 loss to the Houston Texans.
While the Chiefs are so good at situational football, head coach/play-caller Andy Reid might have made a blunder in the fourth quarter.
At the Chiefs' own 31-yard line, facing a fourth-and-one, Reid decided to go for it, and Patrick Mahomes passed to Rashee Rice, but it fell incomplete. At that stage of the game, the Chiefs were down just one score, but the turnover on downs allowed the Texans to make it a two-score game with not much time left.
That decision to go for it has been met with criticism, but a day later, Reid still thinks it was the right call.
"I felt we were in a good position, thought we had a good play, I thought it was the right thing to do," Reid said. "This is terrible to say in a situation because we didn't win, but I would probably do that same thing again.
"I also know that when you don't get them, it can be a problem, especially when they are in field goal range. I thought the risk-reward was right for that time. It slapped me in the face, though."
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Was Reid right to go for it on fourth down?
Looking back on it now, while Reid states it was the right decision, it is clear to most that the Chiefs should have punted.
Given how the defense and Chris Jones were playing, keeping it a one-score game and letting the defense get to work, possibly creating a turnover or forcing a three-and-out would have let Kansas City stay in the game.
But going for it on fourth down, when the Texans would be in field goal range and could make it a two-score game with so little time remaining, was an odd decision from a head coach who often makes the right call.
Was the decision to go for it the right one? Hindsight says no. And Kansas City's playoff hopes went down the drain as a result.
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