Chiefs halftime analysis: Aggressive Panthers make early statement, lead Chiefs 17-13
Wow. What an opening half by the Carolina Panthers and coach Matt Rhule. What wrong button did he push? The Panthers, who took a 17-13 hafltime lead, were aggressive from the coin toss.
Carolina won it and elected to receive. First good move. The execution was near-flawless as the Panthers marched 75 yards in 15 plays and chewed 8:53 from the clock. It was the longest drive by time for the Panthers since 2017.
No big plays — the longest went for 12 yards. Carolina used two timeouts on the possession to ensure they had the right call.
A Chiefs penalty, a holding call on Charvarius Ward, wiped out a good defensive stop, but mostly it was simply solid play-calling, especially on the Panthers’ first touchdown. On a gutsy decision — passing up a field-goal attempt on a fourth-and-3 from the 6 — Carolina took advantage of a blitzing Juan Thornhill.
Christian McCaffrey, in his first game since Week 2, leaked out of the backfield and was wide open for the walk-in touchdown.
The Chiefs’ defense got the stop on the Panthers’ second possession, but then the KC punt-coverage team fell asleep.
On fourth and 7 from the Carolina 45, Panthers punter Joseph Charlton didn’t punt. He instead tossed a pass to Brandon Zylstra, who had slipped through the line and was wide open for a 28-yard gain. It marked the second straight game the Panthers had pulled off a fake punt, so it wasn’t as if the Chiefs didn’t realize the possibility was lurking.
And the Chiefs had pulled off a fake punt pass for a first down of their own a week ago against the Jets.
The possession ended in another Carolina touchdown and a 14-3 Panthers lead.
The Chiefs will receive the second-half kickoff.
McCaffrey returns
No easing back into action for McCaffrey, who suffered a high ankle sprain in the second week against the Buccaneers. In addition to the touchdown, McCaffrey rushed nine times for 48 yards and caught five passes for 40 yards.
Quarterback in motion
The Chiefs drove to the Carolina 1 late in the second quarter. On first down, Patrick Mahomes went in motion.
In motion!
He lined up in the shotgun, started right, then turned back to take the snap. He then retreated, spun and found Demarcus Robinson open in the end zone for the touchdown. Crazy movement and it created distraction on the Panthers’ defense.
How did Mahomes miss Hill?
The Chiefs blew a glorious scoring opportunity early in the second quarter.
Tyreek Hill had beaten his defender and would have have walked into the end zone from the Carolina 37. But Mahomes put too much on the throw and the Chiefs settled for Harrison Butker’s second field goal of the half to close it to 14-6.
Big mistake late by Chris Jones
The Chiefs appeared to have the Panthers stopped just before halftime when Teddy Bridgewater’s third-down pass fell incomplete.
But Chris Jones was penalized for roughing the passer and the Panthers’ drive stayed alive and resulted in a field goal and a 17-13 Panthers lead.