Floating on a Red-Gold Cloud 9

Yes, I’m still riding on a Red and Gold Cloud 9. Don’t bring me down just yet.

Wow, what a Super Bowl to wrap up the 100th year of the NFL. I can say that with a smile and a happy heart because my Kansas City Chiefs won. It was their second World Championship — which came 50 years apart.

Yes, I remember the two other Super Bowls the Chiefs played in. The loss to the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl I in 1967, losing in the championship of the 1966 season and winning in 1970 against the Minnesota Vikings to capture the World Championship of the 1969 season. But honestly, I hadn’t really invested in football as of the fifth grade.

I was a bit worried on Sunday as the San Fransisco 49ers pushed away from a 10-10 halftime tie to lead 20-10 through the fourth quarter. The Chiefs showed flashes of their talent at times but they weren’t playing very well and the 49ers were.

With less than eight minutes to play in Super Bowl 54 to decide the 2019 NFL championship, the Chiefs trailed by 10 points and the 49ers had the ball. Then it turned.

Defense sparked it all but forcing the 49ers to punt. Mahomes Magic struck and the Chiefs were energized in making a third come-from-behind victory in three playoff games this season.

Kansas City scored two touchdowns to gain a 24-20 lead but victory wasn’t secured yet. There was plenty of time on the clock — 2:30 — for San Fransisco to drive down for a winning touchdown.

Defense did it again stopping the 49ers on downs after seven plays with a quarterback sack of Jimmy Garoppolo by Chris Jones. And the final dagger came on a 38-yard touchdown run by Chiefs’ running back Damien Williams.

On the second play of the 49ers’ final possession, the Chiefs’ defense made an interception and the celebration was in full throttle.

Sorry Troy (Hyde). My co-worker at the Newton Daily News on the sports staff is a lifelong 43ers fan. It was a good game.

Patrick Mahomes guided the Chiefs on the field to their second Super Bowl victory on 02-02-2020. It was Chiefs’ head coach Andy Reid’s 222 career coaching victory. Although it is Reid’s first Super Bowl win as a head coach — he coached Philadelphia Eagles in a Super Bowl loss — it is his second Super Bowl victory overall as he was an assistant coach with the Green Bay Packers.

It’s not like the 49ers didn’t have all the opportunities. The vaunted San Francisco defense forced three KC fumbles but did not recover them. They did intercept Mahomes twice. They out-rushed Kansas City — 22 carries for 141 yards led by Raheem Mostert with 48 yards and one TD to the Chiefs’ 29 carries fo 129 yards with Williams getting 104 yards on 17 carries and one TD.

Williams also scored a receiving TD as Mahomes, who was the Super Bowl 54 MVP, was 26-of-42 passing for 286 yards and two TDs. Mahomes had 29 yards rushing and a TD.

When the game was over, Williams immediately chased down Mostert and shared some emotional words and swapped jerseys. Then he went out and finally celebrated with his team. So much class.

Mostert and Williams were both undrafted running backs who made it to the biggest game in the sport. There in that tunnel, they celebrated what they have accomplished.

Another interesting fact — KC’s tight end Travis Kelce caught all six passes thrown to him for 43 yards and had a TD while SF’s tight end George Kittle caught four of seven passes his way for 36 yards. I can see the Kansas City vs. San Fransisco matchup again for Super Bowl 55.

I’m happy for Dustin Colquitt, Kansas City’s punter, who has been with the team a long time and now has a NFL title and Super Bowl victory. On Wednesday there will be a sea of Red in the Kansas City metro area as the Chiefs and Chiefs Kingdom celebrate being 2019 World Champions!

How about those Chiefs!

Now, I’m ready for a run through the final days of the high school regular season of winter sports and into the postseason. Wrestling and boys’ swimming have postseason starting Saturday.

Contact Jocelyn Sheets
at jsheets@newtondailynews.com