Image by Robert Gauthier
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Andy Reid can probably skip that stress test for now; he seems to experience one every week.
On Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs coach watched as his third-string kicker narrowly made a 31-yard field goal off the left upright, securing a victory and the Chiefs' ninth consecutive AFC West title. The win also marked their 15th straight victory in one-score games over the last two seasons.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes led the Chiefs (12-1), the two-time reigning Super Bowl champions, on a crucial 4 1/2-minute drive to set up Matthew Wright’s fourth field goal. As the ball bounced off the upright, Kansas City once again escaped with a narrow win, improving to 10-0 in one-score games this season.
Remarkably, the Chiefs have had three different kickers deliver game-winning field goals as time expired this year, setting an NFL record for the most by any team in a single season.
With the clock winding down, Mahomes and Reid opted to play it safe, running down the clock to set up the game-winning kick rather than attempting a touchdown that could leave time for Justin Herbert and the Chargers to respond.
"I trusted Matthew, so I was good with where we were," Reid said. "The percentages are pretty high. I wasn't too worried about it."
Wright, however, admitted to feeling uneasy as the ball veered toward the upright. "It’s not a good one," he said. "I wanted it to go right down the middle, obviously."
With this victory, the Chiefs' nine consecutive division titles are now just two away from the NFL record of 11, set by the New England Patriots.
Kansas City held a 13-0 lead at halftime after the Chargers (8-5) struggled, punting on their first five possessions. However, Los Angeles came alive in the second half, scoring on each of their three drives. A 37-yard field goal by Cameron Dicker put the Chargers ahead 17-16 with just over 4 minutes left.
"We just had to settle in," Herbert said, noting that the Chargers didn't execute well in the first half. "We weren't moving the ball well, but we stayed patient and made plays when it mattered."
Mahomes quickly responded, converting a third-and-10 pass to Xavier Worthy for 14 yards and running for another first down. With under two minutes left, Mahomes avoided a tackle and found tight end Travis Kelce, who was wide open, to set up the clock-killing drive.
"I went through my reads, and then I saw 87 (Kelce) sitting in the middle of the field wide open," Mahomes said.
Kelce's clutch play came as no surprise to Mahomes, who praised the tight end for being a reliable leader. "He’s someone I can always go to, and he’s going to make a big play happen," Mahomes said.
Though Mahomes was sacked three times, his resilience remained evident. Over the past three games, he’s been sacked 13 times, marking the most sacks in any three-game stretch of his career.
The Chargers fought back in the second half, starting with a 79-yard drive capped by a 3-yard touchdown run from Gus Edwards. After a Chiefs punt, Los Angeles scored again with a 74-yard drive, taking a 14-13 lead. Herbert found Quentin Johnson for a 4-yard touchdown, marking the Chargers' first TD pass in 13 quarters.
Kansas City responded with Wright’s third field goal of the day, a 50-yarder, after an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty pushed them back.
Mahomes also passed Dan Marino for the most passing yards in the first eight years of a career during the Chiefs' opening drive.
Late in the first half, Herbert took a hit from Kansas City linebacker Nick Bolton, forcing him to miss a play. The Chiefs capitalized with a 9-play, 77-yard drive that ended with a touchdown catch from DeAndre Hopkins, giving them a 13-0 lead at halftime, their largest of the season.
Kelce, who finished with 45 yards receiving, reached a career milestone of 12,010 yards, making him the fastest tight end to reach 12,000 yards. He now trails only Tony Gonzalez and Jason Witten for most receiving yards by a tight end.
Injuries played a part in the game as well, with Herbert briefly leaving the field after the hit from Bolton. Tight end Will Dissly also left with a right shoulder injury, and wide receiver Jalen Reagor was injured in the third quarter. For the Chiefs, tackle DJ Humphries left the game with a hamstring injury.
