Late in the first half of Monday night’s game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the New Orleans Saints, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense faced a 2nd-and-34 at their own 44-yard line. It was a down-and-distance situation that Joe Buck in the Monday Night Football booth described as “second and Overland Park,” referencing the suburb of Kansas City that is approximately 20 miles away from Arrowhead Stadium, according to trusty Google Maps.
Travis Kelce’s lateral was Chiefs designed play, and it almost worked brilliantly
Andy Reid will not be sharing the name, however
Mark Schofield is a former college quarterback and attorney covering the NFL and F1.
A few plays later the Chiefs had a fresh set of downs. How? In part due to a play that, according to Kansas City head coach Andy Reid, they practice every week.
After Mahomes connected with JuJu Smith-Schuster for a 13-yard gain, the Chiefs still faced 3rd and 21. That’s when Mahomes threw underneath to Travis Kelce, but the play did not stop there.
As the tight end turned upfield, he spotted running back Samaje Perine leaking out of the backfield after handling pass protection duties. That’s when Kelce lateraled to Perine, who nearly picked up the first down:
Almost initially Buck and Troy Aikman in the Monday Night Football booth debated whether the lateral was planned or not:
The play brought to mind another Chiefs’ lateral, the one from Kelce to Kadarius Toney that was nullified due to a penalty.
At the halftime break Lisa Salters of Monday Night Football asked Chiefs head coach Andy Reid if that was a designed play from Kelce. Reid indicated that it was, that they practice that play, and that he would not be sharing the name:
My guess? “Nuggies.”
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