5 things we learned from the Chiefs’ Week 2 nailbiter against the Bengals

The Kansas City Chiefs came close to giving their fans a heart attack for a second straight week — but still managed to hand the Cincinnati Bengals a 26-25 defeat on a game-winning 51-yard field goal by placekicker Harrison Butker as time expired.

It wasn't a pretty game. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes uncharacteristically threw two interceptions and was under consistent pressure from the Bengals' pass rushers. But in the end, the defending champions did enough to come out on top — and start the season 2-0.

There were many things to learn from Sunday's game. Here are five of them.

1. Kingsley Suamataia is taking his lumps Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images

A week after I wrote that Kansas City's rookie left tackle Kingsley Suamataia was going to be just fine — and in the same week he told reporters that he looked forward to the challenge of taking on Cincinnati pass rusher Trey Hendrickson — Suamataia struggled.

I'm still not worried about the rookie's development; he's going to be a good player in this league. But when you start a rookie at left tackle, sometimes you are going to get games like this. Even the best prospects inevitably have their "welcome to the NFL" moment. This was his.

What's more concerning is that head coach Andy Reid decided to leave Suamataia on an island for most of the game, allowing him to get beaten with little to no additional help.

After the game, Reid implied it was essentially a trial by fire for his left tackle.

"Sometimes if you get beat a couple of different times — and you're a young guy — you haven't quite figured out the answers to the test [and] how to fix it," explained Reid. "Your coach talks to you. Then you've got to settle down — and that happens. So you go back and you learn from it."

2. Rivalry games are tough to gauge Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images

To quote superfan Taylor Swift, Kansas City and Cincinnati have "Bad Blood."

There is no love lost between these two squads. But even if they are on good terms with the opposing team, back-to-back defending Super Bowl champions always get the opponent's best shot. Further, when emotions run high (and both teams know each other so well), games inevitably come down to the wire.

So you often see sloppy play in rivalry games. That's certainly what we saw out of Mahomes, who threw two interceptions. A third was called back on after the Bengals were flagged for illegal contact against tight end Travis Kelce, who was away from the play.

It was an ugly game — but maybe we should have expected that. Here's where I've landed with the Chiefs: while there are things to fix, I'm not overly concerned about the long-term outlook. Kansas City is still the NFL's team to beat.

3. Andy Reid trusts Harrison Butker — like, really trusts him Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Chiefs showed their faith in Butker this offseason, giving him a five-year extension that made him the league's highest-paid kicker.

On Sunday, Reid backed up that faith when he decided to be conservative on the game's final drive, running two plays up the middle and letting the clock tick down to three seconds, betting the the game on Butker making a 51-yard field goal.

There are not many NFL placekickers in whom coaches would place so much faith — particularly if the alternative is letting Mahomes use the final minute to reach a more makable distance.

But that's where we are. This team is so battle-tested — and has been in so many close scrapes like this one — its veterans can be trusted to go get the victory.

4. Trent McDuffie is a stud Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images

Honestly... this verdict has been in for some time.

But there was some question about whether McDuffie would be able to fill L'Jarius Sneed's former role: locking down the opposing team's No. 1 wide receiver. But those questions were put to rest on Sunday. Cincinnati's star wideout Ja'Marr Chase was a non-factor, held to a measly 35 yards on four catches.

McDuffie frustrated Chase so much that late in the game, the receiver went off on the referees, throwing his helmet to the sideline in a childish meltdown that cost the Bengals 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct. So make that 20 yards on four catches.

It was fun to watch McDuffie have such a statement game.

5. The big guy dance is still undefeated Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

As an offensive lineman, you rarely get a chance to score a touchdown — so when you do, you'd better make it count.

Early in the second half, the Chiefs lined up in a tackle-eligible formation, where they brought in an additional lineman and lined him up as a tight end. This gives the offense an extra blocker in short-yardage running situations — like on the goal line.

But every so often, if the extra lineman can slip out into the flat (in this case, the end zone), the quarterback can find him with a touchdown pass. Then we get the privilege of witnessing one of the most beautiful sights in sports: the Big Guy Touchdown Celebration.