Patrick Mahomes went down with an injury against the Browns, which forced backup Chad Henne into one of the biggest games of his life. On fourth and inches, Andy Reid didn’t hesitate. He had Henne throw a quick pass to the sideline, and it worked. That set the tone. Despite Henne not throwing a postseason pass in his career, Reid kept the game plan aggressive. Henne made a couple of solid throws and one bad one, a deep ball picked off in the end zone. Even then, the Chiefs didn’t retreat into a shell. They kept throwing with Henne, trusting him to make plays.
The biggest moment came late in the game on third-and-14. Henne took off running and came up just short of the first. Most coaches would punt. Reid went for it. Lined up in shotgun, looked calm, and while Tony Romo declared there was no play coming, Henne snapped the ball and fired a quick out to Tyreek Hill, who got the first down. Game over. It was the same exact play they ran with Mahomes late against the Dolphins a few weeks earlier. Reid didn’t blink. He trusted the backup to make the throw and close the game. The decision was bold. The execution was sharp. That call sent the Chiefs to the next round.