Chiefs 17-10 Chargers (September 29, 2024) Game Recap

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Patrick Mahomes passed for 245 yards and a touchdown while rediscovering his connection with Travis Kelce, and the Kansas City Chiefs rallied from an early 10-point deficit to beat the Los Angeles Chargers 17-10 on Sunday .

In his 100th regular-season start, Mahomes completed 19 of 29 passes for the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs, who are 4-0 for the first time since 2020. Kelce had a season-high seven receptions for 89 yards and set the franchise’s career reception record, surpassing fellow tight end Tony Gonzalez.

Kansas City has won six straight times against the Chargers. It also has 11 consecutive away wins over its AFC West rival, the longest active winning streak by a visiting team, ranking it third all-time.

The Chargers (2-2) scored 10 points off two Chiefs turnovers – a Carson Steele fumble and Mahomes’ fifth interception of the season – but struggled after that.

Mahomes threw a 54-yard pass Xavier Worthy scored the Chiefs’ first touchdown in the third quarter, and Samaje Perine gave Kansas City the lead with a 2-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

LA’s Justin Herbert, playing with limited mobility due to a high ankle sprain, went 16 of 27 for 179 yards. Due to injuries to tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt, the Chargers used a patchwork offensive line.

Herbert was sacked twice by Chris Jones and hit 10 times on 31 dropbacks.

Kansas City had the opening kickoff and was at the Chargers 30 when Elijah Molden recovered Steele’s fumble at the LA 27 after Tuli Tuipulotu broke the ball loose while tackling the rookie running back.

The Chargers converted Steele’s second fumble of the season into a touchdown.

Herbert completed all four of his passes on Los Angeles’ first 10-play drive, including a 7-yard shot to Ladd McConkey in the back of the end zone. Herbert took a hard hit from Chiefs defensive end Malik Herring while throwing, but he got the ball into a tight spot when safety Bryan Cook had his back turned.

Cameron Dicker’s 50-yard field goal extended the Chargers’ lead to 10-0. The drive began at the KC 20 after a bizarre play in which Kristian Fulton intercepted Mahomes’ pass intended for Kelce and returned it 29 yards down the right sideline.

Kansas City’s Rashee Rice knocked the ball loose behind Fulton, resulting in a fumble that Chiefs center Creed Humphrey recovered. But the decision was reversed when a video review showed Rice was out of bounds when he forced the fumble.

Rice was injured when Mahomes hit his legs while trying to tackle Fulton. Rice was carted into the locker room.

Kansas City had two turnovers and took the lead three times on four of its first five possessions before getting back on track late in the second quarter.

The Chiefs took the lead at their 46 after forcing the Chargers into a three-pointer, and Mahomes immediately connected with Worthy for the deep touchdown. Worthy, the speedy rookie wide receiver who was the 28th overall pick in April’s draft, swept past Fulton on a go route and caught him 3 yards deep in the end zone after a pass from Mahomes that went 64 yards into the Air went.

Midway through the third quarter, Harrison Butker’s 37-yard field goal made it 10-1.

The Chargers had a chance to take the lead early in the fourth when they drove to the Kansas City 3, but Herbert threw incomplete in the fourth.

Perine’s game-winning touchdown capped a five-play, 60-yard drive.

Kelce has 922 receptions in his 12th season. Gonzalez had 916 catches in 12 seasons with Kansas City and the Hall of Famer finished his career with 1,325.

Next

Chiefs: Next Sunday at the Minnesota Vikings.

Chargers: After a bye, visit Denver on October 14th.

——

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL