KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The situation looked dismal in the second half of Sunday’s AFC Championship game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was visibly struggling to play on his injured right ankle and the team was down to three rookie receivers.

But, somehow the team united and won the game.

Head coach Andy Reid praised his players for the way they handled the situation Monday afternoon.

He also expressed his amazement at the thousands of loyal Chiefs fans who braved the frigid temperatures for hours to cheer the team to victory at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

They were unbelievable. That crowd was loud, loud. You could feel the energy. And then for them to stick around afterwards, nobody left. It was crazy how many people were there. I just kinda took it in for a second. Looking around and it was a packed house.

Andy Reid, Kansas City Chiefs Coach

The loud crowd was also a key part of the controversial play in the 4th quarter that allowed the Chiefs to replay a busted 3rd down.

“We love playing here. We appreciate the support. They do matter. I know other people use the 12th man thing, but when they crank it up, man, it’s tough on these quarterbacks and the offensive line,” Reid said.

The head coach says it doesn’t matter whether it’s a preseason game or the AFC Championship, the fans always show up and play a role in the Chiefs success.

“It’s a great tribute to our fans. The sea of red is something special,” Reid said.

The Chiefs hope that sea of red will show up in Glendale, Arizona, to help fuel the Chiefs to a Super Bowl victory Feb. 12.