Chiefs Pulled Off Critical Double Dip in Sunday’s Victory

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – In NFL language, double dipping has nothing to do with taking a bite out of a corn chip and putting it back in the communal salsa.

Double dipping is something the Chiefs worked to perfection in Sunday night’s 30-17 win over Detroit. They scored at the end of the first half and the beginning of the second half – a pair of timely touchdowns.

hollywood brow — Oct 12, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Marquise Brown (5) makes a touchdown catch against the Detroit Lions during the second half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

“Yeah, it was huge,” Patrick Mahomes said after the game. “I think we learned from last week. Last week, we got the ball out of half and we went three-and-out quickly and kind of gave the momentum back to the Jaguars. So, we were emphasizing in the locker room, ‘We need to go out there and score and put the momentum back in our favor.’”

They put the momentum back in their favor, alright. Mahomes orchestrated an eight play, 81-yard touchdown drive capped by a 9-yard touchdown pass to Hollywood Brown. That score was critical because it gave the Chiefs a two-score advantage, 20-10, and made Detroit’s high-octane offense much more one-dimensional.

jared gof — Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) walk off the field after 30-17 loss to Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri on Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Arrowhead crowd gets another assist

“It was important to get that lead back and get the momentum, get Arrowhead, especially, get the crowd going, because it makes it difficult for that offense, any other offense, to go out there and do work.”

The Lions got a big taste of Arrowhead at the end of their opening drive, after winning the toss and electing to receive. They marched down the field in impressive fashion, and actually scored on fourth-and-goal, David Montgomery’s 1-yard pass to Jared Goff. But officials took the points off the board, ruling an illegal shift penalty.

And for the second time in three weeks, the Arrowhead crowd on the ensuing play caused a delay-of-game penalty. That forced the Lions to settle for a field goal.

The Chiefs got that lead back just before halftime. Jared Goff couldn’t complete a fourth-down pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown and the Chiefs capitalized. Trailing 10-6, Mahomes drove Kansas City 55 yards in eight plays, keeping it himself on a 1-yard touchdown run. More importantly, the Chiefs left the Lions only 37 seconds on the first-half clock.

nick bolton, jahmyr gibb — Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (0) runs against Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton (32) during the second half at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri on Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Chiefs expected Lions to take the ball

It was a significant turning point in the game, and the Chiefs were prepared – thanks to Detroit’s decision to receive after winning the opening toss.

“It’s not the first time,” Andy Reid said Monday afternoon. “That was the third time they had done that this year. We anticipated something like that possibly happening, and the guys were good with that. I don’t know if it was motivation or not, but our guys knew that they had done it before, so it wasn’t a big surprise.”

travis kelc — Oct 12, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) leaps over Detroit Lions cornerback Rock Ya-Sin (23) against the Detroit Lions during the first half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

And that decision gave the Chiefs possession out of the halftime locker room. Reid credited his defense for neutralizing the Lions on their last possession of the first half, holding Detroit to three-and-out.

“To be able to stop them there was big,” he said, “and then the drive before that where we were able to get a score, which was good.”

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