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17 hours ago
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Patrick Mahomes threw for 299 yards and three touchdowns, Kareem Hunt found the end zone twice, and the Kansas City Chiefs recorded a 28-7 victory over the Washington Commanders on Monday night.
Mahomes was nearly perfect after throwing two early interceptions, one of which was hardly his fault. His touchdown pass to Travis Kelce was the 83rd of the tight end’s career, tying him with Priest Holmes for the Chiefs record. Another went to Rashee Rice, who caught nine passes for 93 yards in his second game back from a six-game NFL suspension.
It all helped the Chiefs (5-3) win for the fourth time in five games and extend a streak of dominance over Washington. They have won nine straight in the series and 11 of 12 overall; the lone loss came way back in September 1983.
Marcus Mariota had 213 yards passing with a touchdown and two interceptions for the Commanders (3-5), who fell to 1-4 away from home this season. Mariota started in place of Jayden Daniels, who hurt his hamstring in last week’s loss to Dallas.
Terry McLaurin returned from a quad injury to catch three passes for 54 yards and the Commanders’ only touchdown of the night. Deebo Samuel also returned from a bruised heel, but after two early catches, he managed just one more the rest of the game.
Most of the first half was an exercise in poor execution by both offenses.
The Commanders’ opening series ended when Mariota’s pass bounced off Samuel for an interception. The Chiefs’ ended when Mahomes was also picked off. Kansas City proceeded to stop Washington on fourth down, only for Mahomes to have a pass bounce off Kelce’s hands for his second interception – which the Commanders again failed to capitalize on when Mariota overthrew everyone on fourth-and-one deep in Kansas City territory.
So far, there had been two picks by the Commanders, who had created three turnovers all season; two thrown by Mahomes, who had thrown just two previously; and two failed fourth-down conversions by a Washington offense desperate to get points.
All told, five empty drives.
Then, two very productive ones: Kansas City marched 72 yards for a touchdown, and the Commanders answered with a 66-yard drive that McLaurin finished with a TD reception that was first ruled incomplete but was overturned upon review.
Then the Chiefs surged away from their opponents in the second half. They opened with a methodical 80-yard drive that Hunt finished with his second TD. Then, after quick punt by Washington, the 36-year-old Kelce capped a 75-yard drive with his record-tying touchdown reception.
The clinching blow came midway through the fourth quarter, a 13-play, 94-yard drive by the Chiefs – 119 yards if you include all the penalties they had to overcome – that finally broke the Commanders. Rice finished it with an 18-yard touchdown reception after he had twice come up just shy of scoring earlier in the game.
That made it five consecutive games in which Kansas City have scored at least 28 points and put this one well out of reach.
