Chargers victimized by Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs on late, winning drive
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, left, can not escape the grasp of the Chargers Sebastian Joseph-Day, right, during the first half at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022. The Los Angeles Chargers host the Kansas City Chiefs in a AFC West National Football League (NFL) regular season game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
The Chargers Austin Ekeler reaches for the endzone to score as the Chiefs Nick Bolton gets cold for a face mask penalty to give the Chargers a 17-13 first half lead at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022. The Los Angeles Chargers host the Kansas City Chiefs in a AFC West National Football League (NFL) regular season game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
The Chiefs Tre’ McKitty catches a pass as the Chargers Bryce Callahan defends during the first half at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022. The Los Angeles Chargers host the Kansas City Chiefs in a AFC West National Football League (NFL) regular season game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
The Chargers Austin Ekeler reaches for the endzone to score as the Chiefs Nick Bolton gets cold for a face mask penalty to give the Chargers a 17-13 first half lead at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022. The Los Angeles Chargers host the Kansas City Chiefs in a AFC West National Football League (NFL) regular season game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
The Chargers Austin Ekeler, left, celebrates with teammate Zander Horvath, right, after scoring on a short touchdown run to give the Chargers a 17-13 first half lead over the Chiefs at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022. The Los Angeles Chargers host the Kansas City Chiefs in a AFC West National Football League (NFL) regular season game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
The Chargers Austin Ekeler reaches for the endzone to score as the Chiefs Nick Bolton gets cold for a face mask penalty to give the Chargers a 17-13 first half lead at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022. The Los Angeles Chargers host the Kansas City Chiefs in a AFC West National Football League (NFL) regular season game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
The Chargers Austin Ekeler reaches for the endzone to score as the Chiefs Nick Bolton gets cold for a face mask penalty to give the Chargers a 17-13 first half lead at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022. The Los Angeles Chargers host the Kansas City Chiefs in a AFC West National Football League (NFL) regular season game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Chiefs starting quarterback Patrick Mahomes goes through pregame warm ups as head coach Andy Reid looks on prior to playing the Chargers at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022. The Los Angeles Chargers host the Kansas City Chiefs in a AFC West National Football League (NFL) regular season game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, left, can not escape the grasp of the Chargers Sebastian Joseph-Day, right, during the first half at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022. The Los Angeles Chargers host the Kansas City Chiefs in a AFC West National Football League (NFL) regular season game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
The Chiefs Tre’ McKitty catches a pass as the Chargers Bryce Callahan defends during the first half at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022. The Los Angeles Chargers host the Kansas City Chiefs in a AFC West National Football League (NFL) regular season game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, left, can not escape the grasp of the Chargers Sebastian Joseph-Day, right, during the first half at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022. The Los Angeles Chargers host the Kansas City Chiefs in a AFC West National Football League (NFL) regular season game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
The Chargers Austin Ekeler celebrates after scoring on a short touchdown run to give the Chargers a 17-13 first half lead over the Chiefs at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022. The Los Angeles Chargers host the Kansas City Chiefs in a AFC West National Football League (NFL) regular season game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Chiefs starting quarterback Patrick Mahomes goes through pregame warm ups prior to playing the Chargers at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022. The Los Angeles Chargers host the Kansas City Chiefs in a AFC West National Football League (NFL) regular season game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
INGLEWOOD — Patrick Mahomes threw three touchdown passes to tight end Travis Kelce, including the go-ahead 17-yard score with 31 seconds to play, to rally the Kansas City Chiefs to a 30-27 victory Sunday night over the Chargers at SoFi Stadium.
Justin Herbert threw two touchdown passes to wide receiver Joshua Palmer, including a six-yard score that gave the Chargers a 27-23 lead with 1:46 remaining, which proved to be just enough time for Mahomes to pull out a victory.
Mahomes’ 32-yard pass play to Kelce on the first play of the fourth quarter gave Kansas City a 23-20 lead. The Chargers were driving toward a go-ahead score but wide receiver Keenan Allen fumbled. The Chiefs later fumbled the ball back to the Chargers.
Allen and Mike Williams made their long-awaited and much-anticipated returns to the Chargers’ starting lineup. Herbert looked to the two veteran wide receivers right away, having missed their skill and experience for all but a handful of snaps this season because of injuries.
Williams made a terrific leaping catch along the sideline for a first down on the Chargers’ second possession and came up limping. He stayed in the game for one more play and then limped to the sideline to have his sprained ankle checked out by the team’s medical staff.
Williams was said to be questionable to return to the game because of an ankle injury originally sustained during the Chargers’ loss Oct. 23 to the Seattle Seahawks. Allen and the rest of the Chargers’ wide receiving corps soldiered on, helping to seize a 20-13 lead by halftime.
Herbert struck quickly, after the Chiefs took a 3-0 lead on their first possession, needing only three plays to put the Chargers in front. Herbert threw a 50-yard touchdown pass to a wide open Joshua Palmer to give the Chargers a 7-0 lead, capping a 75-yard drive.
The teams traded field goals before Mahomes threw a four-yard touchdown pass to Kelce to put the Chiefs in front 13-10 in the opening seconds of the second quarter. The Chargers then rallied for a 20-13 lead by halftime, their second straight halftime lead over the Chiefs.
Chargers’ battered defensive line gets some reinforcements
Austin Ekeler’s one-yard run with 3:31 left in the half and Cameron Dicker’s 21-yard field goal with 14 seconds remaining put the Chargers in front. Ekeler had 55 yards on 13 carries in the first half, and Palmer had six catches for 84 yards, including the 50-yard touchdown pass.
Allen had two catches for 28 yards; Williams had one catch for 15 yards. Allen returned to play in the second half, but Williams did not.
Kansas City narrowed the Chargers’ lead to 20-16 by the end of the third quarter on Harrison Butker’s 30-yard field goal with 6:22 left in the period, setting up what figured to be a nerve-jangling fourth quarter for two teams that often put on nerve-jangling finales.
After all, four of the previous five games between the Chargers and Chiefs were decided by six points or less and two were decided in overtime. The Chiefs won the first game between the teams, rallying in the second half for a 27-24 victory at Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium.
