Final score: Chiefs fight back to beat Chargers 17-10… See More

In Week 4, the Kansas City Chiefs went into So-Fi Stadium to grab their fourth win of the season. They trailed 10-0 after consecutive first-quarter turnovers, but managed to fight their way back to a 17-10 win.

First quarter

The Chargers won the opening coin toss, and deferred their decision to the second half. That gave Kansas City the ball to start the game, starting at the 30-yard line after a touchback.

The Chiefs got momentum early, when quarterback Patrick Mahomes found tight end Travis Kelce down the right sideline for 38 yards on third down. However, rookie running back Carson Steele fumbled on the next play, giving Los Angeles possession deep at their own 26-yard line.

Los Angeles used the run game to pace themselves down the field, staying ahead of the sticks and avoiding third down for the entire 10-play drive. On second down in the red zone, quarterback Justin Herbert found rookie wide receiver Ladd McConkey with safety Bryan Cook in coverage. The Chargers led 7-0 after their first drive.

Mahomes started the next drive with an over throw to Kelce, ending in an interception. The return ended in a fumble nearly recovered by the Chiefs, but the Chargers did end up taking possession.

The Chiefs’ defense was aided by penalties to stifle the Chargers’ offense with a short field, holding them to a field goal. Los Angeles made the kick to make the score 10-0.

A negative day for Mahomes and the offense continued on their third drive. The unit went three and out, punctuated with a sack where Mahomes had to hold onto the ball as the pocket collapsed. Kansas City was forced to punt it away.

The Chiefs’ defense worked with a fumbled snap and a false start to begin their next drive. It was second down with 21 yards to go as the first quarter ended.

Second quarter

The Chiefs’ pass rush used the third-and-long opportunity to heat up Herbert; defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah impacted the quarterback’s throw and caused an incompletion. The Chargers had to punt back to Kansas City.

Running back Kareem Hunt got his first carry in his return to the Chiefs, gaining nine yards on a first and long. The Chiefs could not take advantage of it; on third and short, a quick pass to wide receiver Skyy Moore went through his hands for a drive-ending incompletion.

Backed up, the Chargers’ offense dinked and dunked to get to third and short — but the Chiefs’ defense stopped them there. Defensive tackle Chris Jones disrupted the line, and cornerback Jaylen Watson finished the tackle at the line of scrimmage.

Kansas City got things going on offense with strong runs by Kareem Hunt and Samaje Perine, then passes to Kelce. The Chiefs worked into Los Angeles territory, but then got into third and long; the Chargers swarmed Mahomes, leading to a disappointing punt with five minutes to go.

The punt pinned the Chargers deep in their own territory, and the Chiefs’ defense took advantage. After stuffing a run, the Chiefs forced two incompletions; on third down, cornerback Trent McDuffie blitzed and hit Herbert as he threw.

With four minutes to go in the first half, Mahomes went for the big play on first down. He loaded up a bomb to rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy in the end zone, and Worthy secured it for a 54-yard score. The Chiefs tightened the score to 10-7.

Kansas City’s defense continued its strong stretch of play since allowing an opening-drive touchdown. The unit forced a three and out, highlighted with a sack by Chris Jones. The Chiefs got the ball back with three minutes to go.

From their own 24-yard line, the Chiefs looked to get a score before halftime. However, right tackle Jawaan Taylor was called for holding, his second penalty of the game. That set the drive back, putting the offense in third and 10 at the two-minute warning.

Kelce found space over the middle to move the chains, then tight end Noah Gray made two consecutive catches to advance towards midfield. A holding penalty on right guard Trey Smith held things up, and forced the Chiefs to settle for a long field goal.

Kicker Harrison Butker attempted the 65-yard field goal, but the kick didn’t have enough leg in it. The score remained 10-7 at halftime.

Third quarter

The Chargers’ offense created an explosive play right off the bat in the second half, getting McConkey room to run after a slant for a 37-yard gain. The Chiefs’ defense settled in from there, forcing a fourth down. The field goal attempt was unsuccessful, leaving the Chargers with no points from the drive.

The Chiefs took over, leaning on Hunt and the ground game to sustain a drive into Los Angeles territory. On the only third and long they faced, wide receiver Justin Watson gained 17 yards on a play over the middle. However, the Chiefs stalled just outside the red zone; the team elected to kick on a fourth and one, tying the score at 10-10.

Herbert and Los Angeles strung together a strong drive in response to the Chiefs’ score, starting with a 26-yard completion to wide receiver Joshua Palmer. That put them in position to lean on the rushing attack and advance deep into Kansas City territory. Herbert made two strong throws to move the chains on third downs. That put them on the 12-yard line as the quarter ended.

Fourth quarter

The Chiefs forced fourth and one at the three-yard line, and Los Angeles set up to go for it. Herbert’s dropback was disrupted by Chris Jones, and a holding penalty doomed the Chargers’ bold attempt to convert. An incomplete pass set the Chiefs up with the ball deep into their own side of the field.

Hunt helped the Chiefs work out of bad field position, apparently taking over the reins as the Chiefs’ primary running back. He and Mahomes both moved the chains with their feet. A holding call on Noah Gray wiped out one run, and the Chiefs’ offense couldn’t recover. On third down, a sideline attempt to Kelce was out of his reach, leading to a punt.

With nine minutes to go, the Chiefs’ defense needed to get the offense the ball back, and did quickly. The unit stuffed a run, forced a scrambling incompletion, then Jaylen Watson broke up a pass on third down. The Chargers went three and out, only taking up one minute of game time.

Mahomes opened up this late-game drive with a play-action pass, stepping up and finding Noah Gray over the middle for 29 yards. That put the Chiefs at the Chargers’ 31-yard line, and set up Hunt to rush for 23 yards over the next three snaps. From the three-yard line, Samaje Perine punched in a handoff, putting the Chiefs in front by a score of 17-10.

With six minutes to go, the Chargers looked for a game-tying score. The offense started with a good screen completion, then the Chiefs’ defense stuffed the next first-down run. After linebacker Drue Tranquill blew up a pass play on second down, Chris Jones finished the drive with his second sack of the game. That forced Los Angeles to punt the ball away with under four minutes to go.

The Chiefs needed to put together a game-sealing drive, and started with another strong run by Hunt. Needing to move the chains, Mahomes found an open Worthy running across the field, leading into the two-minute warning.

Los Angeles had zero timeouts, giving the Chiefs an opportunity to kneel and end the game. Kansas City won 17-10.