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Andy Reid: Don’t criticize Bill O’Brien for fake punt

Divisional Round - Houston Texans v Kansas City Chiefs

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JANUARY 12: Justin Reid #20 of the Houston Texans is tackled by Daniel Sorensen #49 of the Kansas City Chiefs on a fake punt attempt during the second quarter in the AFC Divisional playoff game at Arrowhead Stadium on January 12, 2020 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

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Texans coach Bill O’Brien has taken some criticism for a failed fake punt that helped the Chiefs come back and win today’s wild playoff game in Kansas City. But Chiefs coach Andy Reid says that criticism is unfair.

Reid said that the Texans’ fake punt almost worked, and if it had worked everyone would be saying the Texans unleashed it at the perfect time in the game.

“I thought Bill did a nice job with that. That was an opportune time to call that. People are going to be upset, but form a coaching standpoint, it was an inch away,” Reid said. “That wasn’t a bad call at all there.”

Reid praised Dan Sorensen, who made the tackle on the fake punt, for a big play that helped turn the game around for the Chiefs. If Sorensen hadn’t read the play so well, the Texans would have had a big gain, and O’Brien’s questionable call would have paid off.