KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Poor Alex Forsyth.
The second-year Denver Broncos center won’t enjoy watching replays of the Kansas City Chiefs' game-winning blocked field goal.
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It was Forsyth who was lined up opposite of linebacker Leo Chenal on the offense’s left and defense’s right of the formation as Will Lutz lined up a potential game-winning try from the right hash in the west end zone Sunday afternoon at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
It was also Forsyth who got rocked backward and onto his backside as Chenal overpowered the former Oregon standout on the way to a game-saving block, which preserved a 16-14 victory for Kansas City as time expired.
"It was crazy," right guard Trey Smith said. "Chiefs Kingdom, you all deserve this."
Fellow linebacker Jack Cochrane and defensive end George Karlaftis also helped collapse that side of the protection, the side into which Lutz had to kick.
"The way Leo gets off, the way Jack gets off, the way George gets off — good things happen when you have a bunch of guys getting off at the same time," safety Justin Reid said.
Chenal recognized that he didn’t get the block alone.
“It was just a good push by everybody, and we’ve been talking about it for a while — winning one of those,” he said. “We did it in a big moment.”
Chenal was credited with a field-goal block in the Super Bowl nine months ago, though he said Mike Danna actually stopped the ball and probably deserved credit.
Meanwhile, Justin Reid, who blocked a field goal last season against Denver, might be the best at blocking kicks on the roster.
“It’s a team effort,” Chenal said. “They have to respect J-Reid, they have to respect our guys rushing in the middle, so it’s not like they can just lean heavy to one guy.”
Kansas City has now won a franchise record 15 consecutive games, but there were plenty of Chenal’s teammates rehashing mistakes earlier in the game as a loss seemed inevitable.
“More than anything, I was sick that last drive because I missed that touchdown throw that would have given us a chance to make it where they had to score a touchdown,” quarterback Patrick Mahomes said. “I put our defense in a bad situation.”
The Chiefs trailed 14-13 when Mahomes sailed a third-down throw to the back of the end zone well over tight end Travis Kelce’s head. He explained that he expected the linebacker to drop deeper, so he aimed too high.
But Mahomes, who said Chenal’s nickname is “John Cena” for his workout habits, wasn’t alone pondering possible regrets.
After making the go-ahead field goal, kicker Harrison Butker dribbled the ensuing kickoff out of bounds. He said he was supposed to bang it deep for a touchback.
Instead, Denver’s final drive started at the 40-yard line, needing only a field goal to win thanks to Mahomes’ errant pass.
Cornerback Trent McDuffie, who got beat by Courtland Sutton for a 32-yard touchdown in the second quarter and allowed a key third-down conversion on the game’s final drive, also was stewing on the sideline.
He admitted that he was “frustrated” as he awaited Lutz’s fateful try, but he never lost faith — none of the Chiefs did.
“At practice, J-Reid, Leo — the defense, they practice like they’re getting blocks,” McDuffie said. “This isn’t something that anyone was surprised at, because I’ve seen it happen at practice over and over.”
Defensive tackle Mike Pennel said Chenal called his shot before the game-winning block.
“Leo, before the play, he said what he was going to do, so we all had faith in each other,” Pennel said. “He has unwavering faith in his ability, so we’re all behind him. … We call him ‘The Beast.’”
Kansas City remains the beasts of the NFL. They’ve won the last two Super Bowls and are the only unbeaten team this season at 9-0.
“That moment is so heavy,” Chenal said. “You know there’s a second on the clock and they’re going to kick the field goal. You feel the weight of the moment.”
But as they have time after time, the Chiefs rose to the challenge and will finished Sunday with a still-perfect record and a three-game lead in the AFC West.
“It was just joy,” Mahomes said. “... You definitely are (worried there), because it’s a low percentage for a block. But if anyone’s going to do it, (special teams coordinator Dave) Toub and his team’s going to have a designed play or a designed rush to get a hand on it.”
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