Mahomes, Chiefs bounce back with solid 2nd half

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) passing the ball during the first half of an NFL football game against the Washington Football Team, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) passing the ball during the first half of an NFL football game against the Washington Football Team, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

LANDOVER, Md. -- Teammates approached Patrick Mahomes after his second interception in the first half and maybe the worst of his NFL career. They told him to keep being himself.

Mahomes found himself in the second half, engineering three touchdown drives to make up for the giveaways, leading the Kansas City Chiefs to a 31-13 comeback victory at Washington on Sunday that got them back to .500.

"In the second half, I kept doing stuff," said Mahomes, who threw for 397 yards and two touchdowns. "I kept throwing across my body and doing a lot of different type of stuff because I know those guys believe in me, and I'm going to keep being that and keep fighting to the end."

Leaving his seventh and eighth picks of the season behind, Mahomes connected with Tyreek Hill on a 2-yard touchdown pass late in the third quarter. He put the game out of reach with a 24-yarder to Demarcus Robinson with 3:14 left in the fourth period.

In between, new starting running back Darrel Williams rushed for his second TD of the game to help Kansas City (3-3) avoid what would have been an embarrassing loss.

"We just executed better," Mahomes said. "Guys relied on each other, believed in each other, and we were able to find a way to get a win."

The defense also finally played its part, holding an opponent under 29 points for the first time this season, forcing a fumble and picking off Taylor Heinicke to seal the win. Washington (2-4) finished with 276 yards and its lowest points total of the season.

"We didn't handle adversity in the second half the way we needed to," Washington Coach Ron Rivera said. "When you have a chance, you've got to take advantage of it. And we didn't."

The Chiefs flirted with disaster for much of the first half, turning the ball over three times: a ball that bounced off Hill's hands, a fumble by receiver Mecole Hardman, and an inexplicable heave by Mahomes. They trailed 13-10 at halftime before things clicked offensively.

Kansas City now has committed an NFL-worst 14 turnovers this season, a worrying trend for the defending AFC champion.

"We got to get out of this cycle," Coach Andy Reid said. "I'm not sure I've been around quite this many, but we're here, so it needs to change. But we were heading the right direction that second half."

Unlike losses to the Ravens, Chargers and Bills, the offense made up for the giveaways. Mahomes was 32 of 47 through the air, rushed for 31 yards and led touchdown drives of 95, 68, 45 and 96 yards.

"The way we did it, even though it wasn't pretty in the first half, hopefully it will get us rolling," said Mahomes said. "How this season's gone and the adversity we've dealt with, it could have spiraled. "But I thought the guys, it was a lot of mental toughness to go back and to battle."

Washington's defense that forced three turnovers in the first half gifted Kansas City points because of bad penalties later on.

Pass rusher Montez Sweat was flagged offside with the Chiefs in the red zone to negate a third-down stop on the drive that ended with the Mahomes to Hill TD. Linebacker Khaleke Hudson took a holding penalty in the end zone to set up Williams' second score.

"It's one I feel like slipped through our fingers a little bit," reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year Chase Young said. "First half we were solid, getting to the quarterback, forcing turnovers. We got to look at it."

Kansas City73714--31

Washington31000--13

First quarter

KC--Darre.Williams 2 run (Butker kick), 9:09.

Was--FG Hopkins 50, 3:30.

Second quarter

KC--FG Butker 52, 12:33.

Was--FG Hopkins 43, 8:07.

Was--Seals-Jones 39 pass from Heinicke (Hopkins kick), 1:18.

Third quarter

KC--Hill 2 pass from Mahomes (Butker kick), 4:07.

Fourth quarter

KC--Darre.Williams 3 run (Butker kick), 14:02.

KC--Robinson 24 pass from Mahomes (Butker kick), 3:14.

Att--51,322.

KCWas

First downs2915

Total Net Yards499276

Rushes-yards28-10919-94

Passing390182

Punt Returns2-560-0

Kickoff Returns1-233-57

Interceptions Ret.1-02-5

Comp-Att-Int32-47-224-39-1

Sacked-Yards Lost3-70-0

Punts2-26.54-58.0

Fumbles-Lost2-11-1

Penalties-Yards5-476-44

Time of Possession33:5326:07

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING--Kansas City, Darre.Williams 21-62, Mahomes 3-31, McKinnon 3-10, Hardman 1-6. Washington, McKissic 8-45, Gibson 10-44, Patterson 1-5.

PASSING--Kansas City, Mahomes 32-47-2-397. Washington, Heinicke 24-39-1-182.

RECEIVING--Kansas City, Hill 9-76, Kelce 8-99, Hardman 4-62, Pringle 3-55, Robinson 3-46, Darre.Williams 3-27, Fortson 1-27, McKinnon 1-5. Washington, McKissic 8-65, Seals-Jones 4-58, McLaurin 4-28, Brown 3-30, Gibson 2-0, Bates 1-7, Patterson 1-(minus 2), Humphries 1-(minus 4).

MISSED FIELD GOALS--Washington, Hopkins 42.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) mishandles the football during the snap in the first half of an NFL football game against the Washington Football Team, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) mishandles the football during the snap in the first half of an NFL football game against the Washington Football Team, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) running with the ball during the second half of an NFL football game against the Washington Football Team, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Mark Tenally)
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) running with the ball during the second half of an NFL football game against the Washington Football Team, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Mark Tenally)
Kansas City Chiefs running back Darrel Williams (31) celebrates his touchdown with teammates during the second half of an NFL football game against the Washington Football Team, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Kansas City Chiefs running back Darrel Williams (31) celebrates his touchdown with teammates during the second half of an NFL football game against the Washington Football Team, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Family members of the late Sean Taylor gather on the field as the Washington Football Team retire his jersey during a halftime ceremony at an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Family members of the late Sean Taylor gather on the field as the Washington Football Team retire his jersey during a halftime ceremony at an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) celebrates his touchdown against the Washington Football Team during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) celebrates his touchdown against the Washington Football Team during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) scores a touchdown against the Washington Football Team during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) scores a touchdown against the Washington Football Team during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Jody Fortson (88) is carted off the field with a non-contact injuring during the second half of an NFL football game against the Washington Football Team, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Jody Fortson (88) is carted off the field with a non-contact injuring during the second half of an NFL football game against the Washington Football Team, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) gestures to fans as he walks off the field at the end of an NFL football game against the Washington Football Team, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021, in Landover, Md. Chiefs won 31-13. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) gestures to fans as he walks off the field at the end of an NFL football game against the Washington Football Team, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021, in Landover, Md. Chiefs won 31-13. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid gestures towards fans as he walks off the field at the end of an NFL football game against the Washington Football Team, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021, in Landover, Md. Chiefs won 31-13. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid gestures towards fans as he walks off the field at the end of an NFL football game against the Washington Football Team, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021, in Landover, Md. Chiefs won 31-13. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Upcoming Events