Chargers are beaten down by Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes again, this time on last drive
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Chargers know this all too well.
Patrick Mahomes leading a game-winning, clock-bleeding drive.
The Kansas City Chiefs kicked a game-winning field goal off the upright to clinch their ninth consecutive AFC West title with a 19-17 win Sunday as the Chargers (8-5) lost their seventh consecutive game to their divisional rival.
Six of the wins have come by a single possession, including both of the losses this season, and the Chargers now have lost 11 consecutive games decided by three or fewer points.
Chiefs defeat Chargers on field goal as time expires
🏈Chiefs 19, Chargers 17 — FINAL
The Chargers’ heartbreak against the AFC West rival Chiefs continues.
Matthew Wright kicked a 47-yard field goal that clanged off the left upright and in as time expired to give Kansas City another victory after a spirited Chargers comeback in the second half ran out of steam in the fourth quarter.
The Chiefs (12-1) captured the AFC West division title with the win. The Chargers fell to 8-5.
Chargers take one-point lead on Cameron Dicker field goal
🏈 Chargers 17, Chiefs 16 — 4:35 left in the fourth quarter
Cameron Dicker kicked a 37-yard field goal to put the Chargers back ahead late in the fourth quarter.
The field goal came after a 14-play, 57-yard drive that was hampered by Tershawn Wharton sacking Justin Herbert on the final set of downs.
Herbert has completed 21 of 30 passes for 213 yards. Joshua Palmer has six catches for 78 yards and Stone Smartt has three catches for 54 yards.
Chiefs re-take lead on Matthew Wright field goal in fourth quarter
🏈 Chiefs 16, Chargers 14 — 12:58 left in the fourth quarter
Matthew Wright kicked a 50-yard field goal to push the Chiefs back into the lead early in the fourth quarter. The field goal came at the end of a 12-play, 45-yard drive that the Chargers held at their 32-yard line.
It was Wright’s third field goal tonight.
Quentin Johnston touchdown helps propel Chargers into the lead
🏈 Chargers 14, Chiefs 13 — 3:30 left in the third quarter
Wide receiver Quentin Johnston caught a four-yard touchdown pass from Justin Herbert to help push the Chargers into the lead.
The touchdown capped a speedy, four-play, 73-yard drive highlighted by a 24-yard catch by Stone Smartt and a 39-yard Chiefs pass interference penalty on a pass intended for Johnston.
After looking lost against the Kansas City defense in the first half, Herbert and the Chargers have come alive in the third quarter. Herbert has completed 17 of 25 passes for 168 yards so far.
Gus Edwards touchdown puts the Chargers on the board
🏈 Chiefs 13, Chargers 7 — 6:34 left in the third quarter
Gus Edwards scored on a three-yard run to give the Chargers their first touchdown and cut into the Chiefs’ lead.
Coming off a sack, Justin Herbert connected on a 21-yard pass to Stone Smartt that put the Chargers into the red zone of the first time. On the next play, Edwards picked up seven yards to set up the touchdown.
The touchdown capped a 13-play, 79-yard drive that showcased the Chargers’ first sustained life on offense tonight.
Justin Herbert returns, but Chargers are down 13-0 at halftime
🏈 Chiefs 13, Chargers 0 — HALFTIME
Justin Herbert was back under center for the final 40 seconds of the first half, but the Chargers weren’t able to generate much on the final possession of the first half.
It’s been a defensive battle between the AFC West rivals, and the Chargers have been held to a meager 127 total yards on five possessions that all ended in punts.
Herbert, who went to the sideline for one play after taking a hard hit that appeared to affect his left leg, has completed 10 of 18 passes for 97 yards. Joshua Palmer has two catches for 41 yards.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has completed 18 of 25 passes for 153 yards and a touchdown. The Chargers also have sacked him three times. DeAndre Hopkins has four catches for 32 yards and a touchdown.
Chiefs take 13-0 lead on DeAndre Hopkins touchdown catch
🏈 Chiefs 13, Chargers 0 — 47 seconds left in the second quarter
Patrick Mahomes connected with DeAndre Hopkins on a nine-yard touchdown pass to cap a nine-play, 77-yard drive for the Chiefs.
The drive included a 13-yard reception by Travis Kelce and an 11-yard completion to Xavier Worthy.
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, who went to the sideline for one play after taking a hard hit before the Chiefs’ scoring drive, returned to the game with 42 seconds left in the first half.
Justin Herbert exits game with apparent leg injury
UPDATE: Justin Herbert returned to the game late in the second quarter.
🏈 Chiefs 6, Chargers 0 — 3:56 left in the second quarter
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert took a big hit on his left leg and was down on the field talking to trainers for about a minute before slowly walking off the field.
Backup quarterback Taylor Heinicke took one snap on third down as Herbert limped on the sideline and took a seat on the bench. Herbert staying on the sideline could be a good sign that he might return to the game on the next Chargers possession, but that remains to be seen.
Chiefs double their lead on field goal in second quarter
🏈 Chiefs 6, Chargers 0 — 7:47 left in the second quarter
Matthew Wright kicked a 33-yard field goal to double Kansas City’s lead after another impressive stand by the Chargers on third down.
Chargers linebacker Khalil Mack pressured Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes into a incompletion on third down to compel the field-goal try.
Mahomes has completed 10 of 15 passes for 94 yards.
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert has completed some big passes but is having problems sustaining drives against the Chiefs’ defense. He has completed six of 10 passes for 73 yards, but the Chargers have been held to just 84 total yards.
The Chargers’ offensive line has been providing Herbert with plenty of time in the pocket, but not having rookie wide receiver Ladd McConkey in the lineup is having an effect. Their running game also has been stymied so far.
Chiefs lead 3-0 at the start of the second quarter
🏈 Chiefs 3, Chargers 0 — End of the first quarter
Both teams are struggling to find traction against their respective stingy defenses.
The Chargers’ first possession sputtered at midfield despite wide receiver Quentin Johnston making a remarkable 21-yard reception early in the six-play drive.
Chargers linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu sacked Patrick Mahomes on third down to end the Chiefs’ second possession.
On the Chargers’ second drive, quarterback Justin Herbert connected with receiver Joshua Palmer on a 38-yard pass to the Kansas City, but the Chargers punted five plays later.
Chiefs settle for field goal on opening possession
🏈 Chiefs 3, Chargers 0 — 10:05 left in the first quarter
Matthew Wright kicked a 47-yard field goal to give Kansas City an early lead at Arrowhead Stadium.
The field goal capped an 11-play, 34-yard drive to open the game. Patrick Mahomes connected on two of four passes. Khalil Mack and Tuli Tuipulotu sacked Mahomes on third down before the field goal.
Don’t forget what Chargers were missing for last Chiefs game: ‘We’ve come a long way’
Justin Herbert’s haircut isn’t the only thing that’s changed since the Chargers last played the kings of the AFC West.
Not only will his light brown hair not be poking out of his helmet against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, but also the fully healthy quarterback heralded the Chargers’ offensive progress as “very positive” since they lost to their division rivals in Week 4.
“We’ve come a long way,” Herbert said Wednesday, sporting a new cut that trimmed the sides and back of his signature flowing locks. “We’ve definitely become closer as a team.”
Ladd McConkey among Chargers’ inactives vs. Chiefs
The Chargers will be without their leading receiver against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday as Ladd McConkey is inactive with shoulder and knee injuries.
The rookie leads the Chargers with 815 yards receiving and four touchdowns on 58 catches. He carried the Chargers’ passing game in a win over the Atlanta Falcons last week with 117 of the team’s 131 yards on a career-high nine catches, but injured his knee early in the third quarter.
Safety Tony Jefferson (hamstring) is also inactive after he started last week’s game against the Falcons. Marcus Maye, who signed with the team 11 days ago from the Miami Dolphins, is in line for a larger role with Jefferson sidelined and safety Alohi Gilman still on injured reserve. Maye split reps with Jefferson last week and had a critical interception in his Chargers debut.
Other Chargers inactives:
QB Easton Stick (emergency third quarterback)
LB Denzel Perryman (groin)
OL Brenden Jaimes
OL Jordan McFadden
DL Justin Eboigbe
Unbreakable: How MMA training forged a bond between Derwin James Jr. and Daiyan Henley
Plays go awry. Opponents score touchdowns. The Chargers even can lose a close game, but through every on-field adversity, Derwin James Jr. calmly looks at Daiyan Henley and reminds the second-year linebacker that they’ve conquered more difficult things together.
They think about the mixed martial arts workouts at a West Hollywood gym where they grappled, wrestled and tackled until their lungs burned and muscles ached.
Where they, as the name of the gym suggests, became “unbreakable.”
Where they plotted Henley’s breakout year that’s beginning to take shape.
One play away from prime time, Chargers’ practice squad players work hard and play harder
Tony Jefferson’s game-day uniform was a faded scout team jersey. Instead of wearing the pristine powder-blue-and-gold jersey under the translucent roof at SoFi Stadium on Sundays, the Chargers safety showed his best while a gentle breeze blew across the practice field on Wednesdays. He didn’t necessarily care if that meant jumping into passing lanes, intercepting passes and breaking up plays against his own teammates.
“That was like my game day,” Jefferson said.
Scout-team reps for practice-squad players and reserves serve as a steppingstone, proving ground or even stage acting for Chargers players at all phases of their careers. Jefferson, a 10-year pro, has turned his practice highlights into a prime-time role.
Are Rams, Chargers playoff threats? Facing best teams in AFC could prove telltale
It’s going to be a yardstick Sunday for Los Angeles NFL teams.
The Rams play host to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday afternoon, followed by the Chargers at Kansas City that night.
Those are litmus tests, a chance for the Rams and Chargers to see how they measure up against two of the best teams in the league.
The Bills already have clinched the AFC East — an astounding feat, considering there are five games to play — and the Chiefs have the NFL’s best record at 11-1, their only loss coming to Buffalo.
Whereas Detroit and Philadelphia are the dominant teams in the NFC, it’s extremely likely that either Kansas City or Buffalo will wind up with the AFC’s top seed. Pittsburgh has an outside chance in that race, but the Steelers’ remaining schedule isn’t as favorable.
Chargers vs. Kansas City Chiefs: How to watch, predictions and betting odds
Greg Roman has built his career as a run game guru but the Chargers offensive coordinator’s ground attack has slowed to a crawl.
The Chargers rank 18th in the NFL with 112.9 yards rushing per game and 22nd with 4.1 yards per carry. After rushing for just 56 yards against the Atlanta Falcons, the Chargers (8-5) are trying to rediscover their ground attack in time for Sunday’s prime-time game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
“We gotta run the ball better,” Roman said. “Everybody’s committed this week. You can’t beat the Chiefs dropping back 60 times.”