By Matt McMullen – Chiefs.com Reporter
The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Chicago Bears, 41-10, in dominant fashion on Sunday afternoon behind a near-flawless performance from all three phases.
Kanas City amassed 456 yards of total offense, 31 first downs and 41 points while the defense held Chicago off the scoreboard until early in the fourth quarter, combining to record the Chiefs’ largest margin of victory since Week 14 of the 2021 season.
“It always feels good to get the whole offense going,” said quarterback Patrick Mahomes. “I mean, obviously, the first two weeks, we were kind of out of rhythm. We haven’t had sustained drives going, so just to not have those killer penalties and to kind of get the offense moving in the right direction [was good]. All of the other stuff comes with it, so I was proud of the guys today. [There are] still little things here and there that we can tweak, but it was a step in the right direction.”
Mahomes completed 24-of-33 passes for 272 yards and three touchdowns in the game, leading Kansas City on seven consecutive scoring drives following a punt on the Chiefs’ initial possession. Mahomes’ found tailback Jerick McKinnon for a 6-yard touchdown on Kansas City’s second drive before running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire punched in a 1-yard score on the Chiefs’ next possession, quickly pushing Kansas City ahead by double-digits.
McKinnon was then back in the end zone just one series later, hauling in a 3-yard pass from Mahomes that put the Chiefs in front by 21 points. It was part of a strong day for McKinnon, who recorded the seventh multi-touchdown game of his career.
The Chiefs weren’t done, either, as cornerback Trent McDuffie jarred the ball free from Bears’ running back Khalil Herbert on Chicago’s ensuing series. Linebacker Willie Gay pounced on the fumble, which set up a 41-yard field goal by kicker Harrison Butker.
Kansas City then proceeded to tally another takeaway just two snaps later when safety Mike Edwards intercepted Bears’ quarterback Justin Fields deep in Chicago territory. The Chiefs quickly cashed in on that turnover, too, as tailback Isiah Pacheco powered forward for a 1-yard score.
Pacheco’s score meant that all three of the Chiefs’ active running backs found the end zone in the first half, combining for 24 points all by themselves.
“We said it all week, we were trying to go for a hat trick [where all the running backs] got a touchdown,” McKinnon said. “Runs got called early – plays got called early for us – and we just maximized opportunities.”
The Chiefs went on to add another field goal prior to halftime that extended Kansas City’s lead to 34 points, marking the Chiefs’ most first-half points since the aforementioned Week 14 matchup vs. Las Vegas in 2021.
Mahomes later found tight end Travis Kelce for a 3-yard touchdown on the Chiefs’ opening series of the second half before many of Kansas City’s starters – Mahomes included – began rotating out of the game.
In total, the Chiefs converted 10-of-14 third down attempts while finishing all five of their trips to the red zone with touchdowns. Kansas City was balanced, too, racking up 153 rushing yards to go along with 303 yards through the air.
That offensive eruption corresponded with a stout effort defensively that held the Bears without a single point until just over 13 minutes remained in the contest. Kansas City held Chicago to only 203 yards of total offense and held the Bears to just 11 total first downs.
“This is a young – and I keep saying this – this is a hungry defense,” McDuffie said. “We’ve got a lot of guys committed not only to the defense, but to each other. There’s a big, strong brotherhood with this defense, and it’s exciting to come in each and every day and work with these guys. I feel like we are only scratching the surface, so I’m excited for the rest of the season.”
In terms of injuries, the only player that Head Coach Andy Reid mentioned following the game was offensive tackle Prince Tega Wanogho (quad). As for Mahomes, who injured his right ankle at the end of the first half, the reigning league MVP provided a positive update after the game.
“I made it fine. I would have been fine to play the rest of the game,” Mahomes said. “I think it just scared me more just being [the] ankle [I injured last year], so it scared me a little bit more, but we taped it up, and then I was able to go.”
The Chiefs will now begin their preparation for a matchup against the New York Jets on Sunday Night Football.
