Saints hit back late: Chiefs lose last-second preseason thriller

Saints hit back late
Chiefs lose last-minute preseason thriller

08/14/2023 09:32 am

The preseason game between the New Orleans Saints and Kansas City turns into a thriller. The Saints quickly take a high lead, but the Chiefs hit back after the break. The Super Bowl winner actually won the game, but then gets cocky again.

In the penultimate match of the NFL’s first preseason game day, the New Orleans Saints and Kansas City Chiefs delivered a spectacle. The Saints took a high lead early on, but the team around superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes was able to turn the game around until just before the end. However, with a field goal in the last second, the Saints turned things around again and won the game 26:24 (14:0, 3:7, 0:14, 9:3).

The Saints got the leather early in the game and got off to a flying start. In less than five minutes, New Orleans, led by new quarterback Derek Carr, put down a spotless 80-yard drive and crowned it with a touchdown. Running back Alvin Kamara, who will be out of the first three games of the regular season through suspension, had earlier brought in a short pass from Carr 17 yards inside the five-yard mark. However, the touchdown belonged to Keith Kirkwood, who broke the man-marking on the right and easily caught the ball.

Then Patrick Mahomes came on for the Chiefs and collected his first minutes of the season. However, it wasn’t particularly many, because the Chiefs’ drive fizzled out. Mahomes had his most notable scene when he marched through the middle on a third try and gave up a little early. The Chiefs played the fourth try at the center line and even came up with a trick play. A “quarterback sneak” over tight end Bell while Mahomes was still giving an audible (order) should catch the opposing defense by surprise. However, the Saints defense held – turnover on downs.

The Chiefs substitute dances like the boss

The Saints use the good field position for their second touchdown. Jameis Winston, meanwhile in play for quarterback Carr, found AT Perry for a powerful 26-yard touchdown. That was the perfect start for the hosts. Mahomes’ day at work with the Chiefs was already over, and Blaine Gabbert took over as quarterback. Last year’s Tom Brady backup was ineffective in the first drive, but later found success and put receiver Richie James well into the game twice, the second time with a touchdown. In the end, the Saints went into the break 17:7.

The second period began quite cautiously and only picked up speed in the middle of the third quarter. First, Kahlef Hailassie caught an interception against Saints quarterback Jake Haener. The Chiefs offense was able to capitalize on this immediately and reduce the deficit to 14:17.

In the meantime both teams were on the pitch with the third guard. The Chiefs seemed to be in a much better position here. The Super Bowl champ continued to take the momentum with him and finally turned the game around at the end of the third quarter. Chiefs quarterback Shane Buechele escaped the sack, danced out several opponents and found Crawford in the end zone. It was very reminiscent of superstar Mahomes. The superstar was almost happier about this great touchdown on the sidelines than about his own visit to the end zone.

At the same time, the Saints hardly got anything together offensively. Accordingly, the Chiefs were back on the ball quickly. This time with quarterback number four: Chris Oladokun. The playmaker almost made the interception with his first throw, but then turned it up. Oladokun showed one or the other big play over the ground and also through the air. In the end it was only enough for a field goal.

last second turn

That gave the Saints a chance to eventually win the game. And Jake Haener actually led his offense across the field again and finally threw for a touchdown. As is usual in the preseason, the Saints went for the two point conversion to win the game on the one hand and to prevent overtime on the other.

However, the attempt failed after a misunderstanding between Haener and his center and was actually the inglorious end of an otherwise entertaining game. But far from it, because instead of letting the clock run and hitting the ball far into the opposing half to give the Saints a whole field with just a few seconds, the Chiefs decided on a screen pass, which ended in an interception . The Saints were on the ball again and secured the home win with a field goal in the last second.