Arrowhead Pride
The Washington Commanders’ opening script quickly exposes holes in the Kansas City Chiefs‘ defense, as quarterback Marcus Mariota marches into Kansas City territory with ease.
On the first play across midfield, defensive tackle Chris Jones breaks through the offensive line and sacks Mariota for a six-yard loss. But on the very next snap, Mariota finds wide receiver Terry McLaurin on a corner route to move the chains.
Mixing his arm and legs, Mariota continues to keep Kansas City off balance. Once the Commanders reach the red zone, he tucks the ball and runs it in himself for the first touchdown of the game.
On the Chiefs’ opening drive, quarterback Patrick Mahomes wastes no time responding — connecting with wide receiver Rashee Rice for 23 yards and then tight end Travis Kelce for another 24 to move deep into Washington territory.
End of first quarter: Commanders 7, Chiefs 0
On the first play of the second quarter, Mahomes hands off to running back Isiah Pacheco, who goes untouched into the end zone to tie the game.
Mariota’s next series starts poorly. He tosses a backward screen pass to running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt that deflects off a Kansas City defender, resulting in a 10-yard loss. The Commanders never recover and are forced to punt.
Mahomes continues to enjoy a clean pocket, firing an 18-yard strike to wide receiver Hollywood Brown to move into plus territory.
Before one snap, wide receiver Xavier Worthy looks over at Mahomes and waves, signaling he’s open before the play even begins. Moments later, he proves himself right — hauling in a wide-open slant for an easy 13-yard gain.
Mahomes, perhaps inspired by Mariota’s earlier touchdown run, decides to take matters into his own hands. Needing 10 yards for a first down, he scrambles and turns it into a 17-yard touchdown — spinning past a defender and reaching the ball across the goal line as he crosses it. Naturally, Mahomes gets up and flexes for the crowd.
On the next defensive series, cornerback Chamarri Conner goes down with an injury, bringing in defensive back Kevin Knowles. On his very first snap, Knowles records his first sack of the season.
Mariota tries to scramble for a first down soon after but is crushed by linebacker Nick Bolton, who jars the ball loose. Conner — back in the game after missing a few plays — scoops up the fumble, giving Kansas City a massive turnover just before halftime.
End of second quarter: Chiefs 14, Commanders 7
The Chiefs opening drive after halftime proves relentless. The Commanders have four chances to get Kansas City off the field on third-and-10 situations — but fail each time. The final conversion caps the drive as Mahomes connects with Brown for a 17-yard touchdown to extend the lead to two possessions.
The Commanders manage to respond, but only with a field goal, cutting slightly into the deficit.
**End of third quarter: Chiefs 21, Commanders...
