What a Wild West spectacle at the NFL showdown in Frankfurt. Patrick Mahomes mutates into the cowboy hero that the USA loves. And yet in the end his Kansas City Chiefs give up almost everything against the Miami Dolphins. There is also a bitter PR faux pas.
The old European continent and the USA have had close historical ties long before the NFL. After the European settlers had successfully reached and later conquered eastern North America, they began to expand westward. In the 19th century, the “Wild West” was populated at an ever-increasing rate. Also thanks to the fearless and honorable cowboy. At least that’s what the American narrative, which was and is formative for national identity, wants.
Whether John Wayne or Marlboro Man, the Americans love their cowboys. Your heroes who accomplish feats that the average American would consider impossible. In a place they call Frontier in the USA. Borderland. Where, according to the US founding myths, a new social order emerged, far away from the old continent.
It is all the more fitting that Patrick Mahomes and his Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Miami Dolphins 21:14 in front of 50,023 frenetic fans in Frankfurt, on this very European continent. Because the quarterback is also a kind of cowboy. He embodies the myth like no other in US sports. A leader as well as a hooligan with unique skills. A true gunslinger, one who loves adventure. His pistol, with which he delivers justice with an iron hand, is his throwing arm. And the Americans love Mahomes for his wild, spectacular and ripped game. Since Tom Brady’s retirement, he has become the definitive number one superstar in the NFL.
DJ Ötzi, kissing cam, PR faux pas
Mahomes then comes dancing onto the field to warm up, gesticulating wildly. Be the first, of course, highly concentrated and tense every sinew. Applause breaks out. The quarterback leads his herd, which trots onto the field behind him almost too well-behaved. His Chiefs bulls, who he will lead into wild, uncharted territory in the next three hours or so.
Even though both teams go into the game with a record of six wins and two defeats, the Chiefs are not just fan favorites in Frankfurt. They have been the team to beat in the AFC since Mahomes became their starting quarterback in 2018. And even though the Super Bowl champions faltered last weekend against the Denver Broncos (Cowboy Mahomes also lost his track several times), he ranks fourth in the NFL in both total offense and total defense, putting him next to Detroit , Philadelphia and San Francisco, one of only four teams in the top 10 in both categories. The Miami Dolphins have the best offense in the league, but defensively they are only average (15th place).
If it’s about myths and US identity, then of course the obligatory football extravaganza shouldn’t be missing in Frankfurt. Loud party and pop music with glowing cell phone lights, DJ Ötzi and Country Roads alternate. Excessive entertainment including 7 euro beer, the kissing cam and a wedding proposal on live TV with a mascot hug. This is also the NFL in its purest form, albeit less Wild West.
The German fans won the volume competition against the US fans. Oversized flags of the two states are then unrolled, covering almost the entire 100 yards. “United States Military Vocalist” Dana Bowers sings the US national anthem. After that, according to the official media information sheet, there is the “Deutschlandlied”. What a faux pas: The NFL is still relatively new in Germany, but the PR department should have asked around better. Fortunately, only the third verse is sung at the end, the German national anthem.
Dusty Wild West fare
Then it finally starts – and Mahomes moves faster than his shadow. It takes him less than three minutes to put his team in front. Ever the dominant cow driver, he leads them down the field until Rashee Rice completes a short pass with a run into the end zone to make it 7-0.
But then comes a long time: nothing. There is no response from the vaunted Dolphins offense. The defensive lines dominate on both sides after the Chiefs’ early lead. Miami’s superstar quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has to play again and again on third-and-long, i.e. with a lot of yards on the third attempt until the new first down. He doesn’t find any takers with his long throws and ends the first quarter without any points.
Punt. Punt. Punt. Afterwards, the defenders on both sides were extremely careful, especially when it came to preventing deep passes. Here and there there is a lot of noise, the offensives are groaning. It’s exciting in Frankfurt, but definitely not a footballing treat in the first half. But dusty Wild West fare.
Mahomes, an American hero
But Mahomes wouldn’t be Mahomes if he couldn’t get through this thicket. Again and again he dances his way through the opponents with quick steps and orchestrates the first really successful drive since the very first: 13 plays (the Dolphins only had four more in the entire first half at this point), 95 yards, eight and a half minutes. First of all, it’s about running back Isiah Pacheco’s running game and short, effective passes. Then Gunslinger Mahomes hits a 23-yard throw that takes his team to the opposing 25-yard line. After a short run by the quarterback, he finds the completely free Jerick McKinnon on the next play, who is allowed to run for the touchdown almost undisturbed.
Cowboy Mahomes turns and catches his pass receiver with a cheering sprint within seconds. 14:0 seems like a comfortable cushion in such a tough game. Once again the Wild defeated the opposing defenses. Takes the risk – and persists. Triumphs. Become one with the lawn, with nature. Noble, noble, unshakable. Lonely hero. Just a cowboy. USA, USA, USA. Haha!
Back to reality. It is well known that some myths can move mountains. And so the moment of the game comes in Frankfurt after Patrick Mahomes crosses the border. Tagovailoa finally finds Tyreek Hill for a deep pass. It looks like the Dolphins are now getting on the scoreboard – but nothing there. Suddenly the game explodes, as only possible in football.
Chiefs and Dolphins turn everything on its head
Trent McDuffie knocks the ball out of Hill’s hands and Mike Edwards is not only able to win the ball back, but also has the presence of mind to throw it back to Bryan Cook. He skilfully tanks his way along the right outside line, then has a free path and runs 59 yards into the end zone. Touchdown, 21-0 instead of 14-7, what a turn of events. Wow. Mahomes enthusiastically high-fives the defensive men. Now it’s a show of force. The fans are back in full force. “What just happened?” writes the NFL on X, formerly Twitter. “An absolutely wild Chiefs touchdown in Frankfurt.” Very bitter for the Dolphins, seconds later they go to the locker room for halftime.
But then everything changes again within seconds, just as the myth ascribes to the Wild West. Midway through the second half, Tagovailoa and his highly touted offensive men finally got going. Five and a half minutes before the end of the third quarter, they made it 7:21 after a nice 31-yard pass from the quarterback. Is there anything else going on?
Yes, the answer is quick. Because Mahomes has the egg knocked out of his arms deep in his own half and the Dolphins have possession of the ball again. And running back Raheem Mostert fueled his way through to a touchdown with a spectacular 13-yard run after a penalty that was extremely annoying for the Chiefs. 14:21, almost out of nowhere! Nobody in Frankfurt saw this coming. The momentum is on the Florida men’s side with 22 seconds left in the final quarter.
NFL expansion continues
Now, shortly before the end, it feels like Clint Eastwood is coming around the corner, that’s how wild the West is in Frankfurt. Lawlessness. Everything can happen. Nobody is safe. But Cowboy Mahomes and his boys survive.
At the end, the league once again announced what a success the second game in Germany was after the premiere in Munich last year. The NFL will continue to expand on the old continent. Exactly the other way around than the settlers back then. And luckily no one gets tarred or feathered on this spectacular evening.