The Philadelphia Eagles had done little to stop the vaunted Kansas City Chiefs through Kansas City’s first two possessions of Super Bowl LVII. The Chiefs went 75 yards in six plays for a touchdown on their first offensive possession, then quickly marched into Philadelphia territory on the second. But facing a third-and-three, the Chiefs called for a pass, which fell incomplete. That set Andy Reid up for a lot of criticism.
Reid opted to play it safe, sending kicker Harrison Butker out for the safe play, a 42-yard field goal. Butker, though pulled his kick, doinking it off of the left upright. With that, the Chiefs came away empty.
The Chiefs opt for the field goal on 4th-and-3, but it's a DOINK from Harrison Butker. 🏈🔊 #SuperBowl pic.twitter.com/exSaRdSoSy
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) February 13, 2023
With Patrick Mahomes under center and an offense moving the ball well, going for it would have been justifiable. But Reid came under a lot of criticism for going too cautious, with several fans feeling that the missed field goal was poetic justice.
Chiefs miss the field goal. Was a weak move by Andy Reid to not go for that. Punished accordingly. #Eagles
— Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) February 13, 2023
42 yard field goal tries in the era of 4th-and-go: Going the way of the dodo bird. Analytics gods punish Reid
— Brian Murphy (@knbrmurph) February 13, 2023
Andy Reid getting punished for being a coward in the Super Bowl against the Eagles, there is justice in the universe
— Kyle Neubeck (@KyleNeubeck) February 13, 2023
Missed Field Goals cost you points
— Wade Phillips (@sonofbum) February 13, 2023
Chiefs missing a 42-yard field goal on a play where they should've gone for it is the kind of thing that could end up mattering.
— Dan Graziano (@DanGrazianoESPN) February 13, 2023
It's still tied.
Andy Reid was conservative, and Butker misses the FG try.
— Josh Tolentino (@JCTSports) February 13, 2023
Andy Reid has experience but I like Nick Sirianni's aggressiveness and game management. Felt like an advantage coming in.
— Dave Zangaro (@DZangaroNBCS) February 13, 2023
This is the kind of decision that would have been heavily criticized even if Butker’s kick was good. Things got quickly worse for Kansas City, as the Eagles scored on the first play of the ensuing possession.
This is why the Eagles traded for A.J. Brown. 🔥
14-7 Philadelphia! #SuperBowl pic.twitter.com/ZqBUp5Cwkj
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) February 13, 2023
Reid, the Chiefs and their fans are no doubt hoping that this will not be a well-remembered sequence in Super Bowl history.
