Between the Hash Marks: 2 Chiefs Decisions Stood Out Sunday

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Officially in the boxscore, Patrick Mahomes was 1 of 2 for 33 yards over the two most important plays in Sunday’s win. But the Chiefs saw and executed two critical decisions over that stretch that arguably secured their victory.

Those plays came with seven minutes left in the game, the Chiefs nursing a 16-9 lead. On second-and-10 from the Giants’ 34-yard line, Patrick Mahomes found Tyquan Thornton deep down the left sideline. Thornton beat Cor’Dale Flott and officials signaled a diving touchdown. However, a replay review showed the ball skimmed the turf, ruling it incomplete.

Tyqan Thornton, Dru Phillip — Sep 21, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyquan Thornton (80) makes a catch against New York Giants cornerback Andru Phillips (22) in the fourth quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

One snap later, Thornton made a dazzling, 33-yard catch in the same spot, setting up the Chiefs to ice the win.

Here are two keen moves the Chiefs made during that sequence.

Isiah Pacheco’s blitz pickup

The two-play sequence likely never would’ve happened if not for Isiah Pacheco. On the second-down snap, the running back was the only one who noticed Abdul Carter’s delayed blitz up the middle (Trey Smith and Creed Humphrey were blocking to the outside). Pacheco blasted Carter in the chest, giving Mahomes time to find Thornton. While the play eventually was incomplete, it may have saved the game for Kansas City.

Pacheco’s blitz up here is outstanding. #Chiefs pic.twitter.com/CaUW02dk0g
— Nick Jacobs (@Jacobs71) September 23, 2025

The only two sacks Kansas City allowed were on anomalies -- on crazy backward laterals.

“That's as good a defensive line as there is in this league,” head coach Andy Reid said after the game.

Sep 21, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) throws against New York Giants linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux (5) in the fourth quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

The poker-face call

After the first pass to Thornton, during those critical seconds while officials were reviewing the play, Mahomes met with head coach Andy Reid, offensive coordinator Matt Nagy and quarterbacks coach David Girardi. They opted to run the exact play.

“I mean, I think we had the pass on the field,” Mahomes recalled, “and with the review I got to talk it over with the guys on the sideline. We thought they might play a man coverage. We had a good play that we got to.

“It was just about buying time, with that defensive line. So, I wish I could have got it a little bit further and made it an easier catch. But a tremendous catch by him on that right there. And securing it and getting us to the 1 so we could score a touchdown.”

andy rei — Kansas City Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid is shown on the sideline, Sunday, September 21, 2025. | Kevin R. Wexler-NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Mahomes was hard on himself there despite rolling to his right and throwing 43 yards in the air across his body. Thornton wanted the ball more than cornerback Dru Phillips, and Kareem Hunt punched it in on the next snap.

“I like the play just in general,” Mahomes said. “Just knowing that they probably could play man, that was a good big matchup alert. So going in there talking to Nags and Coach Girardi and Coach Reid and saying, ‘If it's man, go there.’ If it's zone, we have another place we can get to.

“All else fails, you throw the ball short, get more yards so we can kick a field goal. We were all on the same page and we were able to go out there and execute.”

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