Final score: Chiefs edge Panthers 33-31, enter bye week 8-1

The Kansas City Chiefs rallied from a 14-3 deficit to defeat the Carolina Panthers 33-31 at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday. The Chiefs improved to 8-1 entering their bye week, while the Panthers dropped to 3-6. Panthers kicker Joey Slye missed a 67-yard field goal wide right as time expired.

The Panthers appeared to have the game well in control until midway through the third quarter. Leading 17-13, Panthers safety Sam Franklin sacked quarterback Patrick Mahomes on third-and-15 in Carolina territory, and kicker Harrison Butker missed a 48-yard field goal.

But a 51-yard miss by Butker’s counterpart Joey Slye would give the Chiefs good starting field position at their own 41-yard line in the third quarter. On third-and-7 at the Kansas City 44, Mahomes hit tight end Travis Kelce deep down the field for a 44-yard gain. Kelce had 12 catches for 159 yards on the day.

Two plays later, Mahomes connected with running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire on a play-fake and 4-yard touchdown, putting Kansas City up 20-17. The Chiefs extended their lead to 26-17 on a 28-yard pass to Tyreek Hill in the fourth quarter.

The Chiefs then had their first opportunity to put the game away as the Panthers faced fourth-and-14 from the Kansas City 46. But Panthers quarterback Teddy Bridgewater scrambled ahead for 15 yards to convert the first down. A few plays later, he scrambled another 4 yards for a touchdown, cutting the Chiefs’ lead to 26-24.

Mahomes’ second touchdown to Hill on the next drive did the trick. Mahomes finished 30 of 45 for 372 yards and four touchdowns. He became the fastest player in NFL history to 100 touchdowns, and with the four, enters the bye with 25 on the season. Hill had also had a nice day — finishing with nine catches for 113 yards and the two scores.

Running back Christian McCaffrey’s 1-yard touchdown with less than two minutes left to cut the score to two came just too late.

Carolina came out of the gate playing aggressively, understanding that they would need to score touchdowns to beat the Chiefs. On back-to-back drives to open the game, the Panthers opted to go for it on fourth down.

In the first quarter on fourth-and-3, Bridgewater hit McCaffrey for a 9-yard touchdown. McCaffrey, playing for the first after missing six games due to an ankle injury, leaked out to Bridgewater’s left and was wide open for the score.

On the Panthers’ next drive, punter Joseph Charlton pulled out his best Tommy Townsend impression, faking a punt on fourth-and-7 and throwing a 28-yard pass to wide receiver Brandon Zylstra. The Panthers kept the ball and scored another touchdown on a 14-yard flip to Curtis Samuel, taking a 14-3 lead.

When the Chiefs stalled on their next drive around midfield, Butker kept them on pace with a 55-yard field goal. The Chiefs defense managed its first stop on the next possession, and Chalrton shanking the punt gave Mahomes and the Chiefs the ball with a short field.

Almost exclusively featuring Kelce and Hill, Mahomes worked the ball to the 1-yard line. On the goal line, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid called a crafty quarterback motion play, which led to a touchdown from Mahomes to wide receiver Demarcus Robinson. Panthers kicker Joey Slye added a 47-yard field goal for a 17-13 Panthers lead at the half.

Defensive end Frank Clark registered a key sack of Bridgewater in the third quarter, and defensive tackle Chris Jones had a fourth-quarter sack.

Injuries

• Defensive end Taco Charlton left midway though the first quarter due to a leg injury.
• Right tackle Mike Remmers left the game in the third quarter due to a rib injury. Yasir Durant came on to replace him temporarily, but Remmers returned to the game in the fourth quarter.
• Cornerback Antonio Hamilton left the game in the fourth quarter due to a hamstring injury.

Special teams

• Harrison Butker’s kicking remains a problem. Butker missed a 48-yard field goal and an extra point.

Rapid reaction

• The game’s rapid reaction will be posted to our homepage shortly.

Statistics