Chiefs Should Study Duke’s End-of-Game Breakdown

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Patrick Mahomes tweeted his reaction immediately. He wasn’t alone after witnessing one of the most dramatic endings in recent sports history.

Hahaha wow!!!!!
— Patrick Mahomes II (@PatrickMahomes) March 29, 2026

Catch and Face. It’s a basketball concept coaches drill relentlessly, something Duke failed to execute in the critical final seconds of its 73-72 loss to UConn Sunday afternoon. It’s also something Chiefs coaches would be wise to explain to their players this offseason.

And not only did Cayden Boozer turn over the ball, his teammate Isaiah Evans failed to get his hands in the sightline of Braylon Mullins before the freshman drained a 41-foot shot to doom the Blue Devils. Afterward, Duke rued its eight second-half turnovers (UConn had one) and credited the Huskies for holding the No. 1-seed Blue Devils to just 28 second-half points. UConn, not Duke, is in the Final Four.

Yes, it's about one play

So, put an arm around heartbroken Boozer and Evans. But don’t lose sight of the striking parallels between Duke’s crushing loss and the Chiefs’ inability to close out games. And don’t believe the narrative that one play didn’t lose the game.

“Well, of course it's not about one play, until it's only one play,” analyst Jay Bilas said on Monday’s edition of Get Up. “There was an execution.

“When it gets down to one play, you still have to make the play, and UConn made it.”

kelc — Dec 7, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) fails to haul in a pass that Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair (0) would intercept during the fourth quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amy Kontras-Imagn Images | Amy Kontras-Imagn Images

The Chiefs didn’t. An NFL-worst 1-9 in one-score games, they clearly lacked the late-game dominance they showed over Patrick Mahomes’ first seven seasons as a starter.

In the fourth quarters of five 2025 games, nearly 30 percent of the season, the Kansas City offense failed to convert with chance to tie or take the lead. That foul quintet consisted of nine total possessions – four of which came in one game, the 20-10 loss to Houston on Dec. 7.

lawrenc — Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) scores a game-winning rushing touchdown against Kansas City Chiefs safety Jaden Hicks (21) during the fourth quarter of an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium, Monday, Oct. 6, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jacksonville Jaguars edged the Kansas City Chiefs 31-28. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Defense had late-game blemishes, too

The offense wasn’t alone. Steve Spagnuolo’s unit was solid most of the season but struggled late in games. In four games, the Chiefs allowed the game-tying or game-winning points on the opponent’s final drive, or next-to-last drive.

What’s more, in three games, the Kansas City defense surrendered a first down to allow an opponent to run out the clock with a lead.

herber — [US, Mexico & Canada customers only] Sep 5, 2025; Sao Paulo, BRAZIL; Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) picks up a first down against Kansas City Chiefs safety Chamarri Conner (27) during a NFL game at Corinthians Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amanda Perobelli/Reuters via Imagn Images | Amanda Perobelli/Reuters via Imagn Images

It’s a critical 180 the Chiefs need to make in 2026. And if last year’s memories aren’t fresh enough, Kansas City coaches got a phenomenal visual aid on Sunday, courtesy of Duke.

“And that's sort of the issue of late-game situations,” Bilas added. “It’s why teams try to simulate that in practice … A lot of coaches do it. They'll show their teams tape from other teams, whether college teams, NBA teams, late-game situations, to put it in their heads. And because you can't always simulate these things, that's the value of experience.”