K.C. wins 7th straight, stays in first
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Travis Kelce scored on a 34yard pass from Patrick Mahomes in overtime, and the Kansas City Chiefs rallied for a 34-28 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday night.
Kelce caught a tying 7yard touchdown pass with 1:16 left in the fourth quarter, then ended the game with his catch-and-run in overtime. On first-and-10, Kelce pulled in Mahomes’ pass at the 30 and eluded two tackles en route to the end zone, where he was swarmed by teammates.
“Everybody is talking about him losing a step, he looked fast to me,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said after the 32-year-old Kelce had 10 receptions for a career-best 191 yards and two touchdowns.
Mahomes finished 31of-47 for a season-high 410 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. Kelce had been held to six total receptions the past two games, but he broke out in a big way. He had five catches for 142 yards in the fourth quarter and overtime. “After three catches the past two games, I knew I could do a better job of working him into the mix. We threw a couple new things in there, and it worked out OK,” Reid said. “His endurance down the stretch for an elder statesman — he’s not over the hill — his acceleration is something.”
Justin Herbert gave the Chargers a 28-21 lead with 2:19 remaining on a 8-yard touchdown pass to Keenan Allen.
Los Angeles’ defeat came after a terrifying injury to tight end Donald Parham. The 24-year-old appeared to lose consciousness after slamming his head on the turf in the first quarter. He was helped off on a stretcher and taken to a hospital, where the team said he is in stable condition.
Tyreek Hill had 12 receptions for 148 yards and a touchdown for the Chiefs, who have won seven straight to improve to 10-4 and remain on top of the AFC West. Hill’s 1-yard touchdown and a two-point conversion tied the game at 21 in the fourth quarter — that score was set up by
Kelce’s 69-yard catch.
It is the second straight season the Chiefs have come to the Chargers’ Hollywood Park home and won in overtime.
Herbert threw two touchdowns and ran for another score, but the Chargers (8-6) came up empty on three red-zone drives. Herbert completed 22 of 38 passes for 236 yards and an interception.
“I really liked the way we managed the entire game tonight. It didn’t go down for us today, but we gave ourselves an opportunity. We just didn’t finish the game off defensively,” Chargers coach Brandon Staley said.
The Chargers fell behind 10-0 early in the second quarter before scoring on two straight drives to take a 14-10 lead at halftime. Herbert scored on a 1-yard keeper off left end and then connected with Jalen Guyton for a 4-yard touchdown on the next drive.
The Chiefs benefited off Chargers’ mistakes for their first 10 points. After Los Angeles turned it over on downs, Kansas City went 95 yards in 11 plays, culminating in Michael Burton’s 7yard run up the middle.
The Chiefs then turned Anthony Hitchens’ interception of Herbert into points on Harrison Butker’s 30-yard field goal.