Mahomes throws for 424 yards and four touchdowns, Kelce has a field day as the Chiefs beat the Chargers

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — If anyone should know how to stop Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, it would probably be the Los Angeles Chargers and the rest of the AFC West team that beat the Kansas City Chiefs twice a season. 

 Familiarity doesn't seem to have helped. 

 Mahomes threw for 424 yards and four touchdowns, Kelce caught 12 passes for 179 yards and a score and the Chiefs beat the Chargers 31-17 on Sunday to take command of a division they had won seven straight years. Mahomes also improved to 29-3 against  AFC West teams, which Kansas City already leads by three games just seven weeks into the season.“I think when Kelce and Pat are on the same page, it's a challenge for any defense,” said Chiefs coach Andy Reid, whose team became the first Super Bowl champions to lose earlier in the season. then collects six wins in a row. 

 “I know they're working on it. “It’s no secret,” Reid continued. “It's a great honor for these two to have done this.” 

 Marquez Valdes-Scantling added three receptions for 84 yards and a touchdown, and Rashee Rice and Isiah Pacheco also caught touchdown passes for the Chiefs (6-1 ), who  won four straight times against the Chargers in an overtime thriller in 2021.

 Sunday wasn't easy. The Chiefs led 24-17 midway through the fourth quarter when Mecole Hardman, who returned to Kansas City  in a trade with the New York Jets this week, hit a 50-yard field goal. That gave them a short field and six plays later, Mahomes hit Pacheco in the backfield for a game-winning touchdown. 

 “We didn't find the rhythm in the second half,” said Chargers coach Brandon Staley, whose team didn't play the final 30 minutes. – In the first half I thought we played aggressively.We continued to stagnate in the second half. 

 Charger & 039; Justin Herbert, who was sacked five times by the league's second-best defense, had 259 passing yards  with one touchdown and two picks. Joshua Palmer caught five passes for 133 yards and Joshua Kelley ran for 75 yards and a score. 

 “They’re a good defense,” Herbert said.“We did everything we could to move the ball. We simply haven't done enough. 

 The Chiefs have relied on their defense all season to withstand an offense that has struggled to gain momentum. 

 Mahomes and Co. finally found their way in the first half.

After the first drive ended in a field goal, the reigning league MVP finished three of the next four games with touchdown passes. The first was a 46-yard strike to Valdes-Scantling, the second to Rice and the last - almost exactly - a turnover from the first-yard line to Kelce, who weaved his way through a group of defenders and into the end zone There are 15 seconds left in the first half. . 

 This sparked enthusiastic cheers from fans, including pop superstar Taylor Swift, who once again watched the game from a luxury suite and celebrated with a personal handshake with Brittany Mahomes, the quarterback's wife. 

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 Mahomes had rushed for 321 yards to that point, marking the fourth time in his career that he had surpassed 300 yards before halftime.  Kelce managed nine receptions for 143 yards and a score and surpassed 100 at halftime for the second straight week.

 “Highlights with Travis”; Mahomes explained: “That way he can see the  coverage and adjust on the fly. We always talk about it, but it's not a given. He can read the reports, stand at the windows and be on the same page with me. 

 However, the Chiefs only led 24-17 after halftime as the Chargers also had big plays. 

 After tying the score with his own field goal, Kelley threw the ball 49 yards downfield early in the second quarter.After Herbert and Palmer ran 60 yards up the middle, Los Angeles quarterback found  Gerald Everett in the end zone for a touchdown. 

 Given  the many attacks in the first half, the second half was rather miserable. Both teams had long drives in the third quarter and both resulted in turnovers, so the Chiefs  were able to maintain a 24:17 lead in the fourth quarter. 

 Then they managed to put the match away. 

 SWIFTIES, BEWARE 

 Swift was seen wearing a friendship bracelet that had the word "87" written on it.A failed attempt to give him a bracelet during the Eras Tour led to an advertisement for the pop star that began with an invitation to a game at Arrowhead Stadium. Swift became interested in Kelce  and they have been together ever since. 

 WELCOME  

  Charles Omenihu,  suspended six games for violating the NFL's code of conduct, made his debut in style. He lost possession in the first half and in the second half he shot over a pass that was intercepted by L'Jarius Sneed. 

 INJURIES 

 Chargers: RB Austin Ekeler lost ground in the first half but returned to the game.... Everett left in the second half with a quadriceps injury. 

 Chiefs: LB Nick Bolton dislocated his wrist while tackling Chargers  receiver Keenan Allen in the fourth quarter.

 UP NEXT 

 Chargers: Play the Bears next Sunday night. 

 Chiefs: Visit the Broncos next Sunday.