[HolyHandgernade]

The 49ers scramble left me in awe. But for pure emotional outburst, it was the Baltimore 4th down to Hill. I live in California, the game wasn't in my broadcast area, so I had to go to the sports bar I like. NFL sports bars in California aren't like sports bars in KC where almost everyone is a Chiefs fan. It is a smorgasborg of NFL transplant fans for the 10am games (that's noon to you guys). Pittsburgh tends to dominate these scenes, but those guys began to fall off as this season went along. I was amazed how many Browns fans show up to these things. THAT is a loyal fan base. They were there all season long even before Mayfield took off, and they were a lot less arrogant and more fun to talk with.

Anyway, I'm there in with my huddle of strangers/new friends wearing Chiefs gear and there are Baltimore fans (yeah, I couldn't believe it either) at the other end of the table. One of these new stranger/friends is this 50 to 60 year old woman who is obnoxious and loud as hell. Always screaming "Come on, Chiefies!" As the game moves into the 4th, things are going worse culminating in the Ravens' go ahead score.

We get to the fourth down play, she's drunk and in a commiserating mood with the Raven fans while I'm in dejected disbelief at how we let this game slip away. She slaps me on the back and mutters, "Well, you can't win 'em all!" Doing my best not to snap at my fellow Chiefs fan, I give a half-hearted, they still have a play left, let's not throw in the towel yet."

Even as those words are leaving my mouth, I have no conviction in them. I was dreading having to congratulate the Ravens fans on their win. The Browns fans, who I have bonded with since the Week 2 takedown of the Steelers and going nuts over their late game roller coaster in their eventual win over the Broncos, are also keeping an eye on the Ravens.

The ball is snapped, Mahomes is immediately flushed, and it just looks like there is no hope on the play. He heaves it across his body back towards the middle of the field, and I'm just waiting for another Marcus Peters like interception to end the game. And then I see it... a streaking Hill breaking into open ground and makes the catch...

I was screaming at the top of my lungs "Oh my, God... Oh my, God... Oh my God!!!" The Browns player next to me was watching his game, puts his hand on my shoulder and says, "What happened?!" I couldn't even speak. I just pointed at the monitor dumbfounded as the replay came on. And then he repeated, "Oh, my God!"

Everything after that felt like it was inevitable. I know the fourth down TD pass was an amazing throw itself, but I had no doubt they were going to make it. It wasn't until later when I watched the replay analysis that I realized how tough that throw was, but it didn't have the emotional impact the earlier fourth down play had.

I've watched enough Elway led comebacks where it seemed like we had him on the run, victory within our grasp, only to watch him throw some long bomb to move the chains and rip our hearts out. This was the exact opposite of that feeling. From that point on, I knew we had the QB who would be ripping out hearts. That's why I know we are going to win this weekend.