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When the Kansas City Chiefs faced a third-and-21 from the New Orleans Saints' 43-yard line late in the first half of their “Monday Night Football” game, quarterback Patrick Mahomes had one goal in mind. He wanted to get the ball into field goal range to make Harrison Butker's final attempt as easy as possible.

Travis Kelce had bigger ideas. The veteran tight end intercepted a 5-yard checkdown from Mahomes and ran horizontally down the field before passing the ball sideways to running back Samaje Perine.

The throw caught the Saints off guard and allowed Perine to create a four-and-1 chance that the Chiefs eventually converted.

Kelce and Perine's perfect execution of the play left many wondering whether the play was a script. Mahomes indicated during his postgame press conference that this was not the case.

“I shake my head because I told him before the game, 'I'm going to throw it to you so we can get in field goal range,'” Mahomes explained of his conversation with Kelce before the snap. “And he secretly shoveled it all over the field.”

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That got a laugh from reporters, as did Mahomes' comparison of his 35-year-old target's risk assessment to that of his 3-year-old daughter.

“It’s like I’m talking to Sterling,” Mahomes said with a smile. “It’s Travis, man. He is a special player. As long as he does it and it works, no one will say anything.”

Perine's awareness certainly helped Kelce's venture during the play. The eight-year veteran entered Week 5 having only spent about a month and a half with the Chiefs, but after working out with Kelce, Perine knew the dark horse move was a possibility.

“He does it every day in practice,” Perine said of Kelce. “He’s always ready. You have to keep your hand on the fulcrum.”

“It’s like (Kelce) is playing backyard football,” he added. “To experience it first hand? It was crazy, but it was fun.”

Kelce's play also amused Chiefs coach Andy Reid. He praised the tight end for practicing consistently and thinking wisely about when to launch a surprise lateral attack.

But Reid also made a joke during his postgame press conference, warning Kelce not to get too generous or careless with the game.

“If he's not feeling well, I tell him, 'Don't come back to the bench,'” Reid joked.

On By John Fenwick

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