WATCH: Joe Burrow slams his helmet in disbelief as Chiefs get late DPI call in Bengals' heartbreaking 26-25 loss
Joe Burrow was on the verge of not starting his third consecutive season with two straight losses. With just 53 seconds left on the clock, the Bengals were leading the Kansas City Chiefs 26-23. It seemed like the reigning Super Bowl champions would be handed their first defeat of the 2024 season.
But fate had other plans. On fourth down and 16 yards to secure a first down, a DPI call was made by the referees, which frustrated QB Joe Burrow on the sidelines.
He began to celebrate what would've been a loss of possession for the Chiefs. But after the DPI call was made, he took off his helmet and slammed it on the ground in rage and disappointment.
Patrick Mahomes had passed the ball towards Rashee Rice, but Bengals rookie safety Daijahn Anthony collided with Rice resulting in the automatic first down penalty.
The Chiefs then opted for a field goal, and kicker Harrison Butker secured victory by kicking the ball right into the goalpost from the 51-yard line. Bengals fans were heartbroken as they fell to the Chiefs in the final few seconds of the game. While fans debated the DPI call, analysts agreed it was the right call.
This is the second time the Chiefs secured victory in the face of defeat. In the season opener against the Baltimore Ravens, it was Zay Flowers' toe that resulted in them winning the AFC game rematch. And this time it was Harrison Butker's toe that secured 3 points for them.
Could Joe Burrow's wrist have caused problems for him?
In the days ahead of the Chiefs game, a video surfaced online that showed him massaging his wrist during a practice session. Bengals fans were worried that his wrist, which he had injured last season, was still not fully healthy.
But he dispelled all concerns when he told reporters:
“If you don’t move it, you’re going to lose it, so I’m always moving it around, keeping it loose, keeping my mobility the way it’s supposed to be, so it’s going to continue to happen."
So, it's clear that it was not Joe Burrow's wrist that led to such a close defeat. Mahomes himself admitted that the offense, led by him, put up a subpar performance, and hence, they almost lost out to the Bengals.
"Obviously we made many mistakes today," Mahomes said. "We're gonna have to learn from this because we didn't play our best football on the offensive side of the ball."
In the last two seasons that Joe Burrow started 2-0, he won in the third game. Will it happen this time as well as the Bengals take on the Washington Commanders next week?