On Monday night, the Kansas City Chiefs handed the Washington Commanders a 28-7 loss that pushed their record to 5-3 with their third straight win.
Patrick Mahomes stayed cool through a chaotic start
Early on, this game had a weird, chaotic feel that solidified when quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw his second interception in as many drives. The pass bounced off tight end Travis Kelce’s hands and floated into the arms of Washington linebacker Bobby Wagner.
That added to the frustration from the first drive: an interception that came on a forced throw into tight coverage — one that felt predetermined by Mahomes. He attempted a hard count, failed to draw an offsides call and still fired downfield to wide receiver Hollywood Brown running a fade route. Commanders cornerback Marshon Lattimore played tight from the line of scrimmage, swallowing up the ball at the catch point.
That sequence followed left tackle Jaylon Moore allowing significant pressure on two dropbacks — the first ending in a sack that set up third-and-10. Mahomes overcame that with a long scramble, but the second interception followed an incompletion that Moore caused by giving way again.
By the end of the first half, Kansas City had just one touchdown on four drives — and the score was tied at 7-7. Mahomes had found little success outside of one long pass to set up the Chiefs’ lone score. The run game also suffered from the absences of right guard Trey Smith and left tackle Josh Simmons.
In the second half, Mahomes returned to rhythm, staying patient through an erratic first half to lead three consecutive touchdown drives after halftime. The fourth possession nearly ran out the clock to seal the final score.
The touchdown that capped the opening drive of the second half exemplified Mahomes’ composure: on fourth down from the 2-yard line, he dropped back, didn’t like what he saw and resisted the urge to panic. He rolled right, drew a defender toward him, and calmly flipped the ball to running back Kareem Hunt for a touchdown.
Mahomes turned a sluggish start into another efficient performance — finishing with 299 passing yards, three touchdowns and a 74% completion rate.
Travis Kelce totally redeemed himself
If Kelce’s drop-turned-interception wasn’t already frustrating, it marked the second time in eight games that an accurate pass had gone through his hands and into the opponent’s for a turnover — joining the miscue in Week 2 that may have decided the close loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
It felt like a play for anyone doubting the 36-year-old’s current ability to point to. But anyone who did was quickly quieted by the man himself.
Before Kansas City’s first score, Kelce gained 31 yards on a vintage play call: he faked a deep crossing route before bending back toward the opposite sideline, drawing defenders away and giving Mahomes a wide throwing window.
On the second touchdown drive, Kelce caught a checkdown and turned back the clock with a 38-yard sprint — the fastest he’s looked with the ball in his hands in a long time.
Then he capped the night with a touchdown catch. From the 10-yard line, Mahomes bought time and allowed Kelce to gain leverage, going up to secure the score at the goal line over the middle.
Kelce finished the game leading all players in receiving yards (99) — and accounted for the two longest plays from scrimmage: 31 and 38 yards.
The Chiefs’ defense survived a thousand paper cuts
Washington’s offense opened by chipping away at Kansas City’s defense with successful runs and quick passes through most of the first half. Quarterback Marcus Mariota made several plays with his legs — whether by scrambling or completing passes on the move. The Chiefs allowed seven conversions on 12 third downs and stayed on the field for eight or more plays on three of Washington’s four first-half possessions.
The most notable damage came against Kansas City’s linebackers in coverage. It has never been a strength of the group — and in the early going, both Nick Bolton and Drue Tranquill looked lost in zone assignments. Three of Washington’s biggest gains came on short passes that turned into much longer plays.
Against the run, however, it was a different story. Washington finished with 60 rushing yards on 20 attempts, as Mariota and his backs failed to gain more than eight yards on any carry.
The Chiefs’ pass rush was a step late much of the night, but defensive end George Karlaftis still stood out. He was a major factor in stopping the run, collected a sack and deflected a pass when rushing the quarterback.
Overall, the Chiefs’ defense bent but didn’t break. Washington’s lone touchdown came on a toe-tapping catch that Mariota set up beautifully by sliding in the pocket away from his target’s side — delaying the pursuit of Bolton and safety Chamarri Conner just long enough for Terry McLaurin to make the third-and-10 grab.
The unit overcame its mistakes and forced Washington to earn every yard. There are only so many to earn for an offense led by Mariota — and that reality played out as the game wore on.
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