TRavis Kelce scored a 34-yard pass from Patrick Mahomes in overtime and the Kansas City Chiefs rallied for a 34-28 win over the Los Angeles Chargers Thursday night.
Kelce caught a 7-yard touchdown pass with 1:16 left in the fourth quarter and then ended the game with his catch-and-run in overtime. On the first and 10, Kelce pulled in Mahomes’ pass at 30, dodging two tackles on the way to the end zone, where he was swarmed by teammates.
“Everyone’s talking about losing a step, he looked quick to me,” said Chiefs manager Andy Reid after 32-year-old Kelce had 10 receptions for the best 191 yards and two touchdowns of his career.
Mahomes finished 31 of 47 for a season high of 410 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. Kelce had had a total of six receptions in the last two games, but he broke out on a grand scale. He had five catches for 142 yards in the fourth quarter and overtime.
“After three catches in the last two games, I knew I could incorporate him into the mix better. We threw in a few new things and it worked out fine, ”said Reid. “His stamina on the track for an older statesman – he’s not over the hill – his acceleration is something.”
Justin Herbert gave the Chargers a 28-21 lead at 2:19, remaining on an 8 yard TD pass on Keenan Allen.
The Los Angeles defeat came after a terrible injury to tight end Donald Parham. The 24-year-old appeared to have passed out after hitting his head on the lawn in the first quarter. He was helped on a stretcher and taken to a hospital, where the team said he was in stable condition.
Tyreek Hill had 12 receptions for 148 yards and a TD for the Chiefs who won seven in a row to improve to 10-4 and stay at the top of AFC West. Hill’s 1-yard touchdown and a 2-point conversion tied the game at 21 in the fourth quarter – that score was set by Kelce’s 69-yard catch.
It’s the second season in a row that the Chiefs have come to the Chargers’ home in Hollywood Park and won in extra time.
Herbert threw two touchdowns and ran for another score, but the Chargers (8-6) stayed empty on three Red Zone drives. Herbert completed 22 of 38 passes for 236 yards and one interception.
“I really enjoyed the way we played the entire game tonight. It didn’t go under for us today, but we gave ourselves a chance. We just didn’t finish the game defensively, ”said Chargers coach Brandon Staley.
The Chargers fell 10-0 down early in the second quarter before striking after two straight drives to take the 14-10 lead at halftime. Herbert scored with a 1-yard keeper on the left end and then scored with Jalen Guyton for a 4-yard TD on the next drive.
The Chiefs benefited from the Chargers’ mistakes for their first 10 points. After Los Angeles flipped it on Downs, Kansas City went 95 yards in 11 games, culminating in Michael Burton’s 7-yard run in the middle.
The Chiefs then converted Anthony Hitchens’ interception from Herbert into points on Harrison Butker’s 30-yard field goal.
SIX STRAIGHT FOR DISGUSTERS
Chargers running back Austin Ekeler scored a touchdown for the sixth straight game with a 2-yard run from the left to extend their lead to 21-13 early in the fourth quarter.
The TD came after Uchenna Nwosu tipped Mahomes’ screen pass for Clyde Edwards-Helaire at KC 4 and returned it 2 yards.
It is the third time since 1994 that a Chargers player has reached the end zone in at least six consecutive games. LaDainian Tomlinson had a series of seven games in 2004 and Natrone Means had a series of six games in 1994.
scary moment
Parham was examined for a head injury at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.
Parham got his hands on a five yard pass from Herbert in the back of the end zone on fourth and goal, but dropped the ball when the back of his head hit the ground. A camera zoomed in on his face showed his eyes closed and mouth open. A teammate tried briefly to move Parham’s left arm, but he was frozen in a bent position.
Trainers and medical staff removed Parham’s face mask from his helmet and placed him on a back panel. The 24-year-old’s arms trembled as he was evacuated while worried players from both teams watched.
RED ZONE WOES
The Chargers could have been at least 20:10 ahead at halftime if coach Brandon Staley had opted for a field goal instead of aiming for a fourth deficit. Andre Roberts took the opening kickoff 75 yards and Los Angeles drove to 5 before flipping on four straight imperfections from Herbert on downs.
The Chargers could have scored a field goal in the last game of the first half, but Herbert was able to score on the fourth and goal from 1.
Los Angeles had the second and second goals early in the fourth quarter, but Ben Niemann made Joshua Kelley’s fumble on 2.
The Chiefs weren’t immune to red-zone failures, either. They were 14-13 back, fourth and goal on 2 when Mahomes’ pass to Mecole Hardman was incomplete.
Charger: S Durwin James suffered a worse hamstring injury in the third quarter.
Bosses: Hosted by the Pittsburgh Steelers on December 26th.
Charger: Journey to the Houston Texans on December 26th.
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