The more things change, the more they stay the same.

On Sunday night, the Kansas City Chiefs rolled out a physical, ball-control offense, using unusual players on the goal line — and making some uncharacteristic mistakes. The Cincinnati Bengals took advantage of matchups by throwing almost exclusively to three of their tight ends — and their best pass rusher dominated Kansas City’s tackles one-on-one.

It’s incredible how these recent Kansas City-Cincinnati games always (Good, almost always) come down to a field goal at the end of the game. The Chiefs did a lot to keep the Bengals alive in this game — but in the end, they secured the victory.

Below are some notable players who lifted the Chiefs to a 2-0 lead with a 26-25 victory at GEHA Field in Arrowhead Stadium.

Winners

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Defensive back Chamarri Conner: He’s been criticized for missed tackles — and early in this game, he had a few. (To be fair, he also had six tackles to his name — including one for loss.) But Conner made two of the biggest plays for either team. He recovered a fumble and returned it for a touchdown — and then timed a blitz for a sack that put Kansas City’s offense back on the field with a chance to win the game.

Running back Isiah Pacheco: The Bengals dared the Chiefs to run the ball — and he made them feel it. Pacheco earned 111 total yards — a workmanlike performance that helped the Chiefs’ running game shorten the matchup.

Wide receiver Rashee Rice: The sophomore had five catches for 75 yards — including his explosive 44-yard touchdown early in the game. But with the outcome in doubt in the fourth quarter, Rice twice made drive-saving plays. First, he caught a deep pass on a fourth-and-6 — but the play was called back when Wanya Morris was penalized for the play. Then it was Rice who struggled downfield on an ensuing fourth-and-16, resulting in the crucial pass interference penalty that gave his team its last chance to win.

Take on Wanya Morris: Big guys who score touchdowns are automatic winners. Morris not only scored the first touchdown of his career, but it was a clean one, hands Still, the hands-to-the-face penalty in the fourth quarter might have taken him off the winner’s list — if it cost his team the game. So it will be a memorable Cheerful day for Morris.

Cornerback Trent McDuffie: Given a tough assignment — lining up opposite Cincinnati’s Ja’Marr Chase for most of the afternoon — the All-Pro was up to the challenge. McDuffie’s coverage skills and solid tackling make him an absolute machine on the field. Chase had just four catches for 35 yards on the day. I suspect most of those were against another defender.

Cornerback Joshua Williams: He made two big plays on special teams. First, he knocked down Matt Araiza’s punt at the one-yard line to help end the first half. Then, on Araiza’s final punt, Williams made an open-field tackle that pinned Cincinnati at the 9-yard line.

Kicker Harrison Butker: For a moment, it looked like he might have another shot at the NFL record with a 68-yard try, but the Chiefs opted to punt instead. So we had to settle for another game-winner from the league’s best kicker. This one — from 51 yards out as time expired — sealed the victory. There was never any doubt in anyone’s mind that it would be good.

Losers

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Left winger Kingsley Suamataia: Plenty of Chiefs tackles have struggled with Bengals defensive lineman Trey Hendrickson — and now the rookie starter understands why. He was blamed for a handful of key pressures, two sacks and a holding penalty that negated a huge 51-yard play by tight end Travis Kelce. On the ensuing third-and-20, Suamataia stepped in as Morris came in. The coaches will have plenty of spots marked for the rookie to study on film — but it won’t all be on him. Hendrickson also gave Morris trouble in the cleanup — and there were a few missed chips that left the starting left tackle without help. But it certainly won’t be a confidence-building experience for the former BYU tackle.

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes: While he and his teammates got it done when it mattered most, this wasn’t a great day for the best player in the world. His two interceptions were major factors in the closeness of the game. (He threw the second twicewhen an earlier pick was called back for a penalty). Mahomes finished the day with 151 passing yards. He recorded two sacks and was responsible for two of Kansas City’s three turnovers.

Head Coach Andy Reid: It feels wrong to put the league’s best QB/coach combination on the losers’ list — especially in a game the Chiefs won. But Reid made some strange decisions in this one. On the plus side, his creativity in using Morris (and linebacker Leo Chenal) near the goal line was great. I also liked how he held rookie running back Carson Steele after his fumble. But a 19-yard field goal on fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line, the 68-yard field goal attempt that fell short, going 1-of-8 on third downs, being conservative on drives before punting — and finally, allowing the Bengals to run four of the final six minutes? In a game with razor-thin margins, these decisions were strange — and could have been costly.