INGLEWOOD — The Chargers played Sunday with a makeshift offensive line, a makeshift secondary and with a quarterback with a bum right ankle. Somehow, some way, the Chargers made the most of their patchwork lineup to challenge the Super Bowl champion Chiefs right down to the wire, with the teams deadlocked late.
Kansas City running back Samaje Perine scored a tie-breaking touchdown on a 1-yard run with 6:04 remaining in the game and the Chiefs went on to a 17-10 victory at SoFi Stadium, capping a comeback from a sluggish start and a 10-0 first-half deficit.
The Chargers began the fourth quarter deep in Chiefs territory, but quarterback Justin Herbert’s fourth-and-1 pass at the 3 was incomplete. The play wouldn’t have counted had it connected, anyway, as the Chargers were flagged for holding. It would be the Chargers’ final chance to score.
They were blanked for the second consecutive second half and fell to 2-2 going into their bye week after victories over the Las Vegas Raiders and Carolina Panthers to start the season and losses to the Pittsburgh Steelers and Chiefs. What’s more, it was their 11th consecutive home loss to Kansas City.
The Chiefs are 4-0 and have won 10 straight going back to 2023.
The Chargers’ defense stuffed the Chiefs for the better part of the first half, turning almost every Kansas City possession into a slog. Almost, that was, except for Patrick Mahomes’ 54-yard touchdown pass to Xavier Worthy with 4:06 remaining in a first half dominated by the Chargers’ defense.
Mahomes had been fairly pedestrian to that point, but caught lightning in a bottle with a deep throw down the left sideline. Worthy outran cornerback Kristian Fulton to the ball and tumbled into the end zone. Fulton was a step behind and drew a pass interference penalty that was declined.
The scoring play brought the Chiefs within 10-7.
The Chargers built a 10-0 lead on Herbert’s 7-yard touchdown pass to rookie wide receiver Ladd McConkey on their first drive, which covered 10 plays, 74 yards and chewed up 6:36. Cameron Dicker’s 50-yard field goal extended their lead to 10-0, a remarkable development, all things considered.
Kansas City didn’t do itself any favors in the early minutes of the game. Running back Carson Steele fumbled at the Chargers’ 26-yard line, ending one promising drive. Mahomes then was intercepted by Fulton, who returned the ball to the Chiefs’ 20-yard line on the next drive.
Two turnovers set up two scores for the Chargers, who needed all the help they could get against the Chiefs, winners of the past two Super Bowls and three of the last five. The Chargers held the Chiefs to 41 yards in the first quarter, continuing their standout defensive play to start the season.
There were three additional quarters to be played, though.
More to come on this story.
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