Halftime in regular-season finale: Chiefs strike late to lead Chargers 10-7
From the first play, Sunday’s Chiefs-Chargers game had theatrics.
Immediately after Philip Rivers completed a short pass to Keenan Allen, Chris Jones collided with Rivers. While on the ground, the competitors jawed with each other.
Rivers, the 16-year veteran who entered the game with a 14-14 lifetime record as a starter against the Chiefs, was fired up for what might be his final game in a Chargers uniform.
The first half was marked by long possessions. The Chiefs’ first two possessions totaled nearly 14 minutes. The first resulted in Harrison Butker’s 40-yard field goal. The second ended with a punt.
The longest play in those possessions was a 13-yard Patrick Mahomes completion to Damien Williams.
That is, until the end of the half.
Mahomes fired rockets on successive snaps to get the Chiefs into the end zone for the first time.
On third down from the Chiefs’ 46, he found Mecole Hardman over the middle for a 30-yard gain. On the next play, wide receiver Demarcus Robinson made an excellent cut to free himself in the end zone for a 24-yard touchdown reception that gave the Chiefs a 10-7 lead.
The Chargers were driving to end the first half, but Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu collected his team-leading fourth interception in the season, picking off Rivers in the end zone.
Rivers strikes first
On Rivers’ 12-yard touchdown pass to Allen, Chiefs rookie safety Juan Thornhill injured his right knee. He was helped to the sideline then taken from the field in a cart.
The touchdown was the first against the Chiefs in 10 quarters, dating to the third quarter of the game at New England. The Chiefs had yielded field goals in each of their previous two games.
Thornhill was the second member of the defense to suffer a knee injury and was out for the game. Cornerback Bashaud Breeland spent some time in the injury tent with an illness.
With both out, the Chiefs had Rashad Fenton in for Breeland and Daniel Sorensen for Thornhill.
Scoreboard watching
Sunday was a day for scoreboard watching with playoff positioning on the line on the final day of the regular season. But at least on one occasion, the scoreboard at Arrorwhead Stadium wasn’t complete. The Patriots-Dolphins score wasn’t included in the other NFL scores shown on the screen.
The Chiefs would be the No. 2 seed with a victory against the Chargers and a Patriots loss. If the Chiefs and Patriots win, the Patriots are the No. 2 seed and the Chiefs the third seed. A No. 4 also is possible for the Chiefs if they lose to the Chargers.
The Chiefs will get the ball to begin the second half.