Patrick Mahomes ran for touchdowns and 2-point conversions late in the fourth quarter, Harrison Butker penned two previous errors by kicking the go-ahead field goal in overtime, and the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Tennessee Titans on Sunday with 20: 17 night.
Mahomes was 43 of 68 for 446 yards with a touchdown and an interception, and Mecole Hardman also had a TD run as the Chiefs (6-2) rebounded from a 17-9 deficit to defeat the Titans for the second time beat last seven sessions.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid improved to 21-3 after a bye by beating a franchise that has long been his nemesis. He was only 2-9 against the Titans – heck, Reid has three wins against the Chiefs – including a 27-3 loss in Nashville last year.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – NOVEMBER 6: Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs runs in for a two point conversion to start their game against the Tennessee Titans in the fourth quarter at Arrowhead Stadium on November 6, 2022 in Kansas City, Missouri , to bind . (Photo by Jason Hanna/Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – NOVEMBER 06: Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs passes the ball against the Tennessee Titans in the second half at Arrowhead Stadium on November 06, 2022 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)
Things turned to another disappointment when Derrick Henry chewed yardage against the Kansas City defense and the Titans (5-3) knocked out Mahomes and co. in the fourth quarter.
In fact, the Chiefs ran out of time when they took over at their own 7-yard line. But in old Mahomes fashion, the heavily armed quarterback forced his team down. His 20-yard scramble in 3rd and 17th place kept the drive going, and his 3-and-9 touchdown scramble along with his 2-point conversion run tied the game with 2:56 to go.
After the Chiefs won the coin toss, the Titans almost stopped them in midfield, but Noah Gray made a spectacular catch in third and first place to keep the drive alive. Then, with the Chiefs fourth and one at the Titans 13, Mahomes found JuJu Smith-Schuster for a first down that kept the drive alive — and the clock ticking.
Kansas City Chiefs running back Jerick McKinnon (1) runs with the ball as Tennessee Titans safety Joshua Kalu (28) defends during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 6, 2022, in Kansas City, Missouri (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – NOVEMBER 06: Roger McCreary #21 of the Tennessee Titans celebrates with teammates after intercepting a pass thrown by Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs in the second half on November 06, 2022 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City has , Missouri. (Photo by Jason Hanna/Getty Images)
Butker drilled his 28-yarder to give Kansas City a 4:04 lead in overtime.
The Chiefs continued to stuff Henry, then fired Titans rookie Malik Willis on back-to-back games before knocking down his fourth-down throw to end the game and send fireworks into the sky over Arrowhead Stadium.
Henry finished the race with 115 yards rushing and two touchdowns for the Titans. But he didn’t get much help from Willis, who got his second start in place of the injured Ryan Tannehill and was only 5 of 16 for 80 yards.
The Chiefs figured the best way to take down Henry, who rushed for 219 yards and two touchdowns against Houston last week, was to keep him off the field. They opened the game with a 15-game march that lasted 8 1/2 minutes and ended in a field goal, then forced a punt and went 79 yards with Mahomes finding Hardman for the touchdown.
November 6, 2022; Kansas City, Missouri, United States; Tennessee Titans quarterback Malik Willis (7) gets away from Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Carlos Dunlap (8) during the second quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: George Walker IV / Tennessean.com
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce runs with the ball during the second half of an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, November 6, 2022 in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Overall, the Chiefs held the ball for almost 13 of the 15 minutes in the first quarter.
The Titans finally got going in the second and it was Willis who used his legs to throw Kansas City off balance. The fleet-footed rookie twice attempted good strides before Henry turned a direct snap into a four-yard TD run.
After forcing a punt, Henry went back to work. He slipped through the line untouched and was eventually dragged to the ground 56 yards later. Then the 247-pound running back pounded into the end zone to give the Titans a 14-9 lead.
It was Henry’s 74th touchdown run of his career that saw him past Earl Campbell the most in franchise history.
The Chiefs, on the other hand, proved completely incapable of running the ball. And with the Titans no longer worried about stopping the onslaught, they began pressuring Mahomes relentlessly. Denico Autry’s first sack forced a punt, then his second in third place near midfield prevented Kansas City from scoring just before halftime.
The Titans eventually extended the lead when Mahomes was picked up by rookie Roger McCreary and set up Randy Bullock’s 44-yard field goal. But their own offense began to fizzle out, and despite Butker’s missed field goal — he also missed an earlier extra point — the Chiefs managed to get the late touchdown they needed to force overtime.
KANSAS CITY, MO – NOVEMBER 06: Malik Willis #7 of the Tennessee Titans falls back to take on the Kansas City Chiefs in the first half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on November 6, 2022 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)