New video footage shows Kansas City Chiefs superstar linebacker Nick Bolton giving his team a heads-up on a game-changing play in Sunday’s Divisional Round contest against the Buffalo Bills.
Trailing by three early in the fourth quarter, the Bills lined up in a punt formation on a 4th-and-5 situation from their own 30-yard line. The snap went right to Damar Hamlin, but the alert Chiefs’ players were ready for it and held him to a two-yard gain.
The critical turnover on downs forced by Kansas City’s special teams unit was largely thanks to Bolton, who warned his teammates to “watch the fake” as he was coming off the field:
On the second play of the ensuing drive, Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman fumbled the ball out of bounds for a touchback. Still, there’s no telling what could have happened if the Bills executed the punt.
Maybe they would have scored the go-ahead touchdown, and maybe the defense would have put the clamps on Patrick Mahomes the rest of the way.
No more points were scored in the back-and-forth affair after the Chiefs stopped Buffalo’s fake punt. Bills kicker Tyler Bass missed a game-tying 44-yard attempt after the two-minute warning, and the Chiefs ran out the clock to squeak out a 27-24 victory.
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While the Bills are left wondering how they squandered another golden chance at a deep playoff run, the Chiefs are playing in their sixth straight AFC Championship Game. And it might not have happened if not for Bolton’s crystal ball prediction.