As Cairo Santos' 33-yard field goal sailed through the uprights to put the Chiefs within a touchdown at 27-20 with just over 3 minutes left in the game last Sunday, it was at that time special teams coordinator Dave Toub began getting his onside kick team unit ready to go.

The Chiefs were in the midst of a historic comeback and it was a decision that could tilt the outcome in any direction.

"At the end of the game, that was a critical situation," Toub explained on Thursday. "I actually had the onside kick team up in the huddle, and [head coach Andy Reid] trumped it. He made a great decision by deciding to kick it deep and play defense.

"So we just banged the ball out of the back of the end zone and our defense stepped up and did a great job."

After Santos' kickoff forced the touchback, the Chiefs defense forced a three-and-out from the Chargers offense, which set up Chargers punter Drew Kaser's 17-yard punt that gave the Chiefs the ball at the Chargers' 42-yard line with just under 2 minutes left in regulation.

Four plays later, running back Spencer Ware punched it in from the 5-yard line. After Santos' extra point, the game was tied.

Just like that, the decision to kick it deep and not go for the onside kick ended up being a significant move in a historic comeback that nobody knew about until Toub mentioned it on Thursday.

"It ended up being the critical decision in that game, I think."