K. C. avoids upset from McCaffrey, Carolina
KANSAS CITY, MO. » Patrick Mahomes was just goofing around during a special teams segment of practice when he dreamed up this audacious play in which he’d put himself in motion, then take the snap and look downfield for a wide receiver.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid liked it so much that he put it in the game plan.
The play, which Mahomes called “Ferrari right,” wound up going for a first- half touchdown against Carolina on Sunday, and was merely one highlight in a game full of them.
Mahomes finished with 372 yards passing and four touchdowns, most of that offense going to Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce, and the Chiefs survived the Panthers’ late comeback attempt for a 33- 31 victory when kicker Joey Slye missed a 67- yard field- goal attempt wide right on the final play.
The Chiefs ( 8- 1) were left clinging to the lead when Christian McCaffrey, just back from his ankle injury, scored from a yard out with 1: 26 to go. The Panthers’ onside kick was recovered by Kansas City, but they used their three timeouts to get the ball back, and Teddy Bridgewater’s 23- yard pass to Curtis Samuel with 9 seconds remaining gave them hope.
McCaffrey finished with 18 carries for 69 yards and a touchdown while catching 10 passes for 82 yards and another score. Bridgewater threw for 310 yards and two TDs with Samuel catching nine balls for 105 yards and the other score.
Kelce had 10 catches for 159 yards and Hill had nine for 113 and a pair of scores, helping the Chiefs climb out of an early 14- 3 hole.