The Super Bowl hangover has by no means been a giant drawback for the Kansas City Chiefs, whether or not they received or misplaced it. They simply hold marching via the remainder of the NFL on their manner to one other Super Bowl.
One loss doesn’t imply the Chiefs are feeling that hangover this season, however Friday night time’s opener appeared lots like Kansas City’s loss to the Eagles in Super Bowl LIX, particularly in the primary half. In the tip, the Chargers held on for a 27-21 win. That’s not a superb factor.
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The Chiefs’ night time in opposition to the Los Angeles Chargers acquired off to a nasty start when Xavier Worthy suffered a shoulder injury that knocked him out of the game. That occurred on the third play and left Kansas City very brief at receiver the remainder of the sport. The Chiefs didn’t attain the tip zone earlier than halftime. It was the second straight sport that the Chiefs have been held with no landing in the primary half. They didn’t rating in any respect in opposition to the Eagles earlier than halftime of Super Bowl LIX.
Patrick Mahomes got here alive with a classic second half to drag the Chiefs again in the sport, however Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert didn’t again down. Herbert had an excellent sport and the Chargers made a giant assertion in the AFC West by beating the Chiefs 27-21 in the NFL’s second-ever sport at Brazil. Herbert had 318 yards and three touchdowns. The Chiefs lastly misplaced an in depth sport, breaking an NFL document of 17 straight wins in one-score video games together with playoffs.
Kansas City, which misplaced one among its first 16 video games final season, is 0-1. That’s not the tip of the world, particularly for Kansas City. But subsequent week is a matchup in opposition to the Philadelphia Eagles, who blew them out in the Super Bowl seven months in the past. All of a sudden there’s some urgency for the Chiefs this September.
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Xavier Worthy misplaced on 1st sequence
The first drive was a nasty omen for the Chiefs. Worthy and tight finish Travis Kelce ran a mesh idea, with each working brief crossing routes from reverse sides. But Kelce and Worthy collided. Kelce is listed at 250 kilos. Worthy is 165 kilos. Predictably, Worthy took the worst of it. He suffered a shoulder harm and didn’t return to the sport. That was an enormous blow to a Chiefs offense already taking part in with out Rashee Rice, who’s suspended for the primary six video games.
The Chargers have been the much better staff for a lot of the first half. Herbert was 12 of 18 for 171 yards earlier than halftime. A subject aim in the ultimate minute gave the Chargers a 13-3 lead.
However, the sector aim got here after a giant mistake. Rookie working again Omarion Hampton ran out of bounds on third down, saving the Chiefs some worthwhile time. That allowed Patrick Mahomes to hit Tyquan Thornton for a 38-yard acquire, establishing a subject aim to finish the half. It virtually didn’t occur as a result of Noah Gray was knocked backward and out of bounds with lower than 15 seconds left, which meant the clock saved working. But the Chiefs swiftly ran their subject aim staff on the sector, the snap acquired off earlier than time expired and Harrison Butker nailed a 59-yarder to end the half to cut LA’s lead to 13-6.
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It was a pricey rookie mistake that gave the Chiefs some momentum going into the half. They wanted it after a principally torpid first half.
Patrick Mahomes retains Chiefs in it
Mahomes didn’t have quite a lot of assist round him on Friday night time, however he appeared decided to take over the sport by himself.
The offense lastly had a pleasant landing drive after not reaching the tip zone in the primary half. The drive included Mahomes decreasing his shoulder and working over cornerback Donte Jackson proper earlier than he went out of bounds on a run. Mahomes scored afterward an 11-yard run, although the Chiefs missed the additional level. For a lot of the sport, the Chiefs’ finest offense was Mahomes scrambling when nothing was open.
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Mahomes has had some unimaginable performs in his profession, and he added to the reel in the fourth quarter. On third-and-5 he was tripped up from behind as he scrambled, and as he was in the air he someway acquired off a move to JuJu Smith-Schuster for a primary down. Later in that drive, Mahomes hit Travis Kelce for a 37-yard rating. The Chiefs didn’t get the 2-point conversion to tie the sport, however Mahomes was doing every part he may to hold Kansas City in it.
Herbert saved making performs in opposition to a Chiefs protection that has develop into a basis of their dynasty the previous few seasons. After Kansas City lower LA’s lead to 20-18, and there had to be some fear that Mahomes was searching them down, Herbert led a superb drive that ended with Quentin Johnston’s second landing of the night time. The Chargers led 27-18 with just a little greater than 5 minutes left.
Mahomes wouldn’t give in. One fourth down he scrambled proper and located Marquise Brown for 49 yards to hold the sport alive. The Chiefs’ drive stalled they usually settled for a subject aim earlier than the two-minute warning, hoping to get a cease and get Mahomes the ball again. The Chiefs appeared to have the Chargers in hassle on third-and-14, however they let Herbert get exterior and he scrambled for 19 yards and a primary down that iced the win.
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The Chargers had a improbable season in Jim Harbaugh’s return to the NFL final yr. They got here into this season with hopes of breaking Kansas City’s streak of 9 straight AFC West titles. On Friday night time, they appeared like worthy contenders. And the Chiefs appeared just a little extra weak than we’re used to.