In the middle of the third quarter on Sunday, Chiefs Kingdom held their breath when star quarterback Patrick Mahomes had to get helped off the turf and off the field. Unlike last season, the hero was not Matt Moore; it was Chad Henne.
After coming in for the injured Mahomes, Henne went six-for-eight passing for 66 yards and one interception. However, the end of the game is what the former Michigan Wolverine and Jacksonville Jaguar will be remembered for.
After a defensive stop and punt from the Browns, the Chiefs needed two first downs to clinch the win. Henne completed a pass out of the backfield to running back Darrel Williams in the flat for a first down. They needed one more and Henne made himself a legend in Kansas City to get that final first down.
Right before the two-minute warning, Henne was sacked on second down by Myles Garrett, forcing a third-and-14. If the Chiefs were to convert on third down and long, they would seal the win and move on to the AFC Championship Game.
On the ensuing third down, Chad Henne did the unthinkable. He felt the pocket collapse and rolled out. As he saw daylight, Henne decided to tuck and run for the first down. With two Cleveland defenders closing in on him, Henne dived for the first down but was short by mere inches. With fourth down and inches looming, Andy Reid had to make a decision.
Reid left the offense on the field to go for it with 1:14 remaining. On fourth-and-inches from the Kansas City 48-yard line, Henne took the snap, rolled out, and hit Tyreek Hill for the game-clinching first down.
Andy Reid knew all along that the offense was going to stay on the field and go for the win with no hesitation. Henne prevailed and the Chiefs move on.
The theme of adversity continues to fuel the Kansas City Chiefs QB room. Last year, it was Matt Moore who came in and went 2-1 as a starter for Mahomes when he hurt his knee, and now Henne stepped up to clinch the win over the Browns.
With the heroics of the 35-year-old, the Chiefs become the second team in NFL history to host three straight Conference Championship games. The other team to do so is the Philadelphia Eagles from 2002-2004, and their head coach was Big Red; Andy Reid.
