KC Chiefs report card: How they graded out in Thursday night’s road win over Chargers
A national TV audience tuned in for a marquee matchup between the Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday Night Football, and the game did not disappoint.
The Chiefs overcame a 21-13 deficit in the fourth quarter, then needed to convert a two-point conversion to tie it at 28 with less than two minutes and force overtime.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce took it from there, connecting on a game-winning 34-yard touchdown play in the extra period to secure a 34-28 win.
The Chiefs’ winning streak is seven games now and they improved to 10-4. More importantly, they own a two-game lead over the Chargers (8-6) in the AFC West with three games remaining in the regular season.
Here are our grades for this week’s game.
KC STAR OF THE GAME
Kelce was a giant among mere mortals Thursday.
Widely regarded as one of the best tight ends in the NFL, if not the best, Kelce torched the Chargers with 10 catches for 191 yards and two touchdowns on 13 targets, averaging an incredible 19.1 yards per reception.
He saved his best for near the end of the game, recording a 7-yard touchdown to help send the game to overtime, and then outracing the Chargers’ defense in overtime on a 39-yard score to seal the victory.
REPORT CARD
Passing offense: A
Mahomes completed 31 of 47 passes for 410 yards and three touchdowns with an interception for a 105.8 passer rating. He got a lot of help from his top two pass-catchers: Kelce and wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who had 12 catches for 148 yards and a touchdowns on 13 targets. With his two star playmakers going off, it’s no surprise Mahomes enjoyed a stellar day.
Rushing offense: C
As a team, the Chiefs rushed for 86 yards and a touchdown on 20 attempts. Clyde Edwards-Helaire managed 32 yards on nine carries, averaging 3.6, and hauled in the game-tying two-point conversion pass. But he couldn’t really get it going on the ground. Darrel Williams also had trouble finding room to run, picking up just 12 yards on five carries. Fullback Michael Burton was a bright spot, hauling in a 20-yard screen pass and scoring on a 7-yard run.
Passing defense: A-
Linebacker Anthony Hitchens intercepted Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert after linebacker Nick Bolton reached up and tipped the pass. The Chiefs held Herbert to 236 yards passing, almost 60 yards below his average against the Chiefs in three previous career starts, and stopped the Chargers on three fourth-down attempts.
Rushing defense: C-
The Chiefs sorely missed defensive lineman Chris Jones and linebacker Willie Gay Jr., who remains on the reserve/COVID-19 list and missed Thursday night’s game. The Chargers went bonkers up the middle, totaling 192 yards and two touchdowns on 39 carries. Bolton recorded a team-high 14 tackles, but if anyone doubted what Jones means to this defense, look no further than this game.
Special teams: C
A 75-yard kickoff return by L.A. to start the game and a 32-yard punt from Tommy Townsend were low points for Dave Toub’s special teams unit. Harrison Butker made two field goals, so that helps the grade.
This story was originally published December 17, 2021 at 1:40 AM.
