Andy Reid won’t need to schedule a stress test anytime soon; he experiences one every week. The Kansas City Chiefs coach watched as his third-string kicker, Matthew Wright, narrowly converted a 31-yard field goal off the left upright, clinching a dramatic 19-17 victory and securing the Chiefs’ ninth consecutive AFC West title.
This win marks the Chiefs’ 15th straight victory in a one-score game over the past two seasons. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes orchestrated a crucial 4.5-minute drive to set up Wright’s fourth field goal, further extending Kansas City’s perfect record in one-score games this season to 10-0. Remarkably, the Chiefs have utilized three different kickers for game-winning field goals in the closing moments this season, an NFL record.
With a first down secured inside the two-minute warning, Mahomes and Reid opted to run down the clock rather than risk giving the Chargers time to respond. “I trusted Matthew, so I was good with where we were,” Reid said. “He’s a solid gamer, so I wasn’t too worried about it.”
Wright, however, admitted to feeling pressure as the ball drifted toward the upright. “It’s not a good one,” he said. “I want it to just go right down the middle, obviously.”
The Chiefs’ nine straight division titles put them just two behind the New England Patriots’ NFL record of 11. Kansas City led 13-0 at halftime after the Chargers (8-5) punted on their first five possessions. However, Los Angeles came alive in the second half, scoring on all three of its drives. A 37-yard field goal by Cameron Dicker gave the Chargers a 17-16 lead with 4:35 remaining.
“We just had to settle in,” said Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, who completed 21 of 30 passes for 213 yards and a touchdown. “We didn’t make enough plays in the first half, but I praise the guys for staying patient and making plays in the second half.”
Mahomes responded by hitting Xavier Worthy for 14 yards on third-and-10 and scrambling for another first down. Following the two-minute warning, he dodged a tackle and found a kneeling Travis Kelce, allowing the Chiefs to run the clock down to zero.
“I went through my reads,” Mahomes explained. “I just saw 87 sitting right there in the middle of the field, open. So I fired it to him.”
Mahomes expressed his admiration for Kelce, saying, “He means the world to me. He’s a true leader on the football field and someone I can rely on to make big plays.”
Despite being sacked three times, Mahomes has taken 13 sacks over the past three games, marking the most in any three-game stretch of his career.
The Chargers started the second half strong with a 13-play, 79-yard drive capped by Gus Edwards’ 3-yard touchdown run. After a Chiefs punt, the Chargers quickly took a 14-13 lead with a 74-yard drive that included a 39-yard pass interference penalty against Justin Reid. Herbert connected with Quentin Johnson for a 4-yard touchdown, marking the Chargers’ first touchdown pass in 13 quarters.
The Chiefs responded with Wright’s third field goal, a 50-yarder following an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against Trey Smith. Earlier, Wright had also kicked a 47-yarder during the opening drive, during which Mahomes passed Dan Marino for the most passing yards in the first eight years of a career.
Late in the second quarter, Herbert was briefly sidelined after a hit from Kansas City linebacker Nick Bolton, leading to the Chargers’ fifth punt. The Chiefs capitalized with a 9-play, 77-yard drive ending in a touchdown catch by DeAndre Hopkins.
Kansas City’s halftime lead of 13-0 was its largest of the season, and it marked the first time this year the Chiefs shut out an opponent in the first half.
Injury Report: Herbert missed only one play after the hit but returned to the game. Tight end Will Dissly left with a right shoulder injury, and wide receiver Jalen Reagor was also hurt in the third quarter. Chiefs tackle DJ Humphries exited in the fourth quarter with a hamstring injury.
Next Up: The Chargers will host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers next Sunday, while the Chiefs will travel to Cleveland.
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