With the Chiefs leading the Eagles by a field goal in the fourth quarter, Andy Reid made the puzzling decision to punt from the Birds’ 39-yard line on 4th-and-4, a decision that was immediately questioned by several fans and analysts on social media that were watching along.
Joe DeCamara was one of them, and could only thank the former Eagles head coach for the “gift” that set up the eventual game-winning touchdown drive.
“Andy Reid messed up punting the ball,” Joe said. “There was no doubt about it. I felt it in the moment. I though ‘My God Andy, after all these years, and how much you’ve advanced as a coach, you really think punting the ball on 4th-and-4 is a wise decision?’ I thought that was really gonna cost him, and it did.”
Instead of going for the four yards and extending a drive that almost certainly would have ended up in points had they converted it, Reid called Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense to the bench, electing to punt, which ended in a touchback. In the end, the punt was good for just 15 yards, and the Eagles responded by marching down the field to take the lead for good.
“It was a gift,” Joe said. “It was a major mistake by Andy Reid, in a game otherwise I thought was very well coached by both head coaches.
“But I thought that one was a gift.”