Getty Kansas City Chiefs fullback Michael Burton.
The Kansas City Chiefs’ first touchdown of their 34-28 overtime win over the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 15 was a special one for more reasons than one.
The first touchdown of the Thursday Night Football game came on a handoff to Chiefs fullback Michael Burton, who barreled up the middle for a seven-yard touchdown midway through the first quarter.
FB Michael Burton takes the carry up the middle for seven yards and a touchdown. PAT is good.
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The rushing touchdown was the first of Burton’s seven-year career, and just the second touchdown he’s ever scored in the NFL. The first and only other one he has scored was a receiving touchdown during his rookie season with the Detroit Lions in 2015, per Pro Football Reference.
What’s also special about Burton’s touchdown — but more so comical — were the ramifications for one fan who wagered on the Chiefs-Chargers game and won big thanks to Burton making his way into the end zone.
Fan Bets on Burton Due to Steve Burton Film
Bleacher Report’s betting Twitter page shared a long-shot wager on FanDuel. The wager placed by a fan was that Burton would score the first touchdown of the Chiefs-Chargers game in Week 15. The fan wagered $5 and ended up with a payout of $405.
When asked why they chose to make that wager, the bettor explained that they had watched Edwards Scissorhands — a movie created by filmmaker Tim Burton — and chose to “ride with my subconscious.”
Ladies and Gentlemen… we got one 😂
As well as the reasoning behind the bet 💀
(IG: josh_marlowe_ @FDSportsbook)
Chiefs Grab Important Win on TNF
In a game that had a lot of playoff implications tied to it, Kansas City came out with a massive win against the division-rival Chargers.
With the Chiefs sporting a 9-4 record heading into the game, and the Chargers at 8-5, a loss to Los Angeles in Week 15 would have meant Kansas City would surrender the AFC West lead to the Chargers with three weeks of regular-season play to go. So, extending their win streak to seven games was pivotal for the Chiefs’ attempt to make the playoffs after a 3-4 start to the season, which included a loss to the Chargers in Week 3.
The win came by way of a Patrick Mahomes pass to tight end Travis Kelce, who worked his way down the field in overtime for a 34-yard, game-sealing touchdown. The touchdown was the second of the day for Kelce, who had a career-high 191 receiving yards on 10 catches in Week 15.
Patrick Mahomes dumps it off to TE Travis Kelce, who carries it 34 yards down the field for the game-winning touchdown.
FINAL SCORE:
“When it’s over, you go, ‘Woah,’” head coach Andy Reid said during his postgame press conference on Thursday, December 16 of Kelce’s touchdown. “If I could jump, I’d jump with excitement.”
For Kelce, the game-winning score came in part due to his knowledge of how the Chargers’ defense would be covering the Chiefs’ offense.
“I’m trying to find ways to just have an understanding, even when I get open and catch the ball, of what coverages they’re in, the routes around me, to always have another answer,” Kelce said during his postgame press conference of his ability to gain yards after the catch consistently at an elite level. “When I catch the ball, now I know where to attack the defense, where the voids are to make a guy miss and get vertical.”
The win over Los Angeles brings Kansas City’s record to 10-4, which is the best record in the AFC before the remaining slate of Week 15 games take place. The New England Patriots — who have a 9-4 record, are the No. 1 seed in the AFC and own the tiebreaker over the Chiefs — play the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday, December 18. If Indy is able to beat New England, then Kansas City will have an outright better record than the Patriots and will be the AFC’s No. 1 seed heading into Week 16.
The Chiefs have the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals, and Denver Broncos remaining on their regular-season schedule.