Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce help Chiefs rally for 17-10 win over Chargers

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes passed for 245 yards and a touchdown while rediscovering his connection with Travis Kelce, and the Kansas City Chiefs rallied from an early 10-point deficit to beat the Los Angeles Chargers 17-10 on Sunday.

Making his 100th regular-season start, Mahomes completed 19 of 29 passes for the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs, who are 4-0 for the first time since 2020. Kelce had a season-high seven receptions for 89 yards and set the franchise's career receptions record, surpassing fellow tight end Tony Gonzalez.

Kansas City has won six straight over the Chargers. It also has 11 straight road victories victories its AFC West rival, the longest active winning streak by a visiting squad and tied for third all-time.

The Chargers (2-2) scored 10 points off a pair of Chiefs turnovers — a fumble by Carson Steele and Mahomes' fifth interception of the season — but struggled after that.

Mahomes heaved a 54-yard pass to Xavier Worthy in the third quarter for the Chiefs' first touchdown, and Samaje Perine put Kansas City ahead with a 2-yard touchdown run in the fourth.

Playing with limited mobility because of a high ankle sprain, LA's Justin Herbert went 16 of 27 for 179 yards. The Chargers used a patchwork offensive line because of injuries to tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt.

Herbert was sacked twice by Chris Jones and was hit 10 times on 31 dropbacks.

Kansas City got the opening kickoff and was at the Chargers 30 when Elijah Molden recovered Steele’s fumble at the LA 27 after Tuli Tuipulotu jarred the ball loose while tackling the rookie running back.

The Chargers converted Steele's second fumble of the season into a touchdown.

Herbert completed all four of his passes on Los Angeles' opening 10-play drive, including a 7-yard strike to Ladd McConkey in the back of the end zone. Herbert took a big hit from Chiefs defensive end Malik Herring while throwing, but he put the ball in a tight spot as safety Bryan Cook had his back turned.

Cameron Dicker's 50 yard field goal extended the Chargers' lead to 10-0. The drive started on the KC 20 after a bizarre play in which Kristian Fulton intercepted Mahomes' pass intended for Kelce and returned it 29 yards up the right sideline.

Kansas City's Rashee Rice punched the ball loose behind Fulton for a fumble, which Chiefs center Creed Humphrey recovered. But the call was reversed when a video review showed Rice was out of bounds when he forced the fumble.

Rice was injured when Mahomes hit his legs while trying to tackle Fulton. Rice was carted to the locker room.

Kansas City had a pair of turnovers and went three-and-out on four of its first five possessions before getting on track late in the second quarter.

The Chiefs took over at their 46 after forcing the Chargers to go three-and-out, and Mahomes immediately connected with Worthy for the deep touchdown. Worthy, the speedy rookie wide receiver who was the 28th overall pick in April's draft, blew past Fulton on a go route and caught it 3 yards deep in the end zone on a pass from Mahomes that went 64 yards in the air.

Harrison Butker's 37-yard field goal tied it at 10-all midway through the third quarter.

The Chargers had a chance to take the lead early in the fourth when they drove to the Kansas City 3, but Herbert threw incomplete on fourth-and-1.

Perine's decisive touchdown capped a five-play, 60-yard drive.

Kelce, in his 12th season, has 922 receptions. Gonzalez had 916 catches in 12 seasons with Kansas City, and the Hall of Famer finished his career with 1,325.

Up next

Chiefs: At Minnesota Vikings next Sunday.

Chargers: After a bye, visit Denver on Oct. 14.

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