KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- As fans at Arrowhead Stadium chanted his name in anticipation of a long punt return, Tyreek Hill did as he's done for much of his rookie season with the Kansas City Chiefs. He delivered the big play.
Hill returned that Oakland Raiders punt 78 yards for a touchdown, his second long score in the Chiefs' 21-13 victory. Those big plays proved crucial, as the Chiefs moved into a tie for first place with the Raiders in the AFC West.
"I don't think I’ve ever seen anything like what happened tonight, that one scene," Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith said. "I've never seen a stadium chant a name like that and then he houses it. It gave me chills."
Hill, too, was caught by surprise when he heard his name being chanted.
"It was crazy, man," he said. "I didn't know what to do, for real, except for give them what they want, I guess."
Hill's emergence as a consistent threat has elevated the Chiefs into the favorite's role in the AFC West. Though they're even with the Raiders at 10-3 with three games left, the Chiefs will have the tiebreaker if one is necessary at the end of the season because they also won in Oakland in October.
The Chiefs are also a threat to win the AFC and advance to the Super Bowl because of the speedy rookie. Kansas City has been wildly inconsistent with the ball this season but suddenly looks capable of generating enough offense. That includes Hill's work as a kick returner, of course.
Hill scored on a kick return for the second time in three games, the other touchdown coming in a previous crucial AFC West showdown against the Denver Broncos. He leads the Chiefs with nine total touchdowns, including his 36-yard touchdown catch Thursday night.
No other Chiefs player has more than five.
"I guess it’s all falling into place," Hill said. "After talking to [former Chiefs kick return specialist] Dante Hall and all those guys, they were like, 'Dream big.' That's what I started doing, Every night and every morning, I'm daydreaming about making those big plays."
Veteran wide receiver Jeremy Maclin returned to the Chiefs' lineup on Thursday after missing the previous four games because of a groin injury. He didn't have much of an impact in his return, but moving forward that could easily change.
Either way, the Chiefs could come to look at Maclin's injury as a blessing. His absence forced the Chiefs to not only play Hill more at wide receiver but to force-feed him the ball.
That's been the best thing the Chiefs have done offensively all season.
