KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Kansas City Chiefs had scored an NFL-worst 53 points in the second half of games this season, which equates to just under six points per game, and they had scored a single touchdown in the fourth quarter through their first nine games.
They sure could have used about six more points Monday night.
Instead, they got none. Again.
The Chiefs were shut out in the second half for the third consecutive game, this time by the Philadelphia Eagles in their highly anticipated rematch, allowing Jalen Hurts and Co. to rally from a 10-point deficit for a 21-17 win at Arrowhead Stadium.
Whether it was penalties, red-zone turnovers or a crucial dropped pass in the closing minutes, the Chiefs (7-3) made the kind of mistakes on offense that have been rare since Andy Reid — who had never lost in four tries against his former team — took over as their coach in 2013 and Patrick Mahomes began his prolific career as their starting quarterback in 2018.
Mahomes was held to 177 yards with two touchdowns and an interception in the end zone by the Eagles, who only sacked him once but applied plenty of pressure the rest of the night. Travis Kelce was his top target, catching seven passes for 44 yards and a score, but he likewise turned the ball over in the red zone when he fumbled it away in the fourth quarter.
The Eagles pounced on the opportunity, driving 80 yards for the go-ahead touchdown with about six minutes left in the game.
Even after the teams traded punts, the Chiefs still had a chance, getting the ball back at their own 9-yard line with 2:49 left on the clock. That would have been plenty of time the past few years, but not this one.
The Chiefs managed to convert a fourth down and took advantage of a roughing-the-passer penalty to get near midfield before everything went haywire.
Mahomes threw incomplete. Then he threw a perfect ball to Marquez Valdes-Scantling that would have been a 51-yard go-ahead touchdown had it not gone right through his hands. Then came an intentional grounding penalty and another incompletion on a catchable ball from Mahomes to Justin Watson.
Game over.
The final drive was a microcosm of the way the second half went for Kansas City, which led 17-7 at the break. Its first drive was derailed by a holding penalty on Donovan Smith, its second drive on a false start on Jawaan Taylor and the third nearly was by a holding call on Kelce, who proceeded to fumble the ball away later in the drive anyway.
Standout center Creed Humphrey was also called for a false start that led to another punt later in the fourth quarter.
The result of the red-zone turnovers, the seven penalties for 55 yards and the dropped passes and missed assignments was the Chiefs’ second loss in their last three games, one that knocked them from their perch atop the AFC. It also gave the Eagles their first win at Arrowhead Stadium since a 37-31 victory on October 2, 2005.
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