Kansas City Chiefs News

The challenge Patrick Mahomes presents, along with the dynamic weapons he disperses the football to in the Kansas City Chiefs' offense, is difficult enough for any NFL defense.Opposing quarterbacks, however, are also aware they need to counter on the scoreboard."We have to know each possession matters because of how high-powered the offense is over there and how quickly they can score,'' said Cincinnati quarterback Andy Dalton, who will lead the Bengals into Kansas City, Mo., for a primetime matchup Sunday night between AFC division leaders."We have to play our game and take advantage of every possession that we have."Both teams will be coming off heartbreaking defeats.Dalton and the Bengals (4-2) drove for a go-ahead touchdown with 1:18 remaining only to fall 28-21 to Pittsburgh. Mahomes and the Chiefs (5-1) produced a game-tying score in the fourth quarter only to watch a New England field goal decide a 43-40 outcome as time expired.That kind of shootout is what any opponent must prepare for playing against Mahomes, a first-year starter who has five consecutive 300-yard passing performances, a Chiefs record. His touchdown passes (18), throws of 25-plus yards (23) and touchdown-interception ratio (plus-14) lead the NFL.When scoring mounts, however, Cincinnati is usually quite good.Since selecting Dalton and wide receiver A.J. Green in the 2011 draft, the Bengals stand 44-1-2 when scoring 25 or more points.Neither player, however, must defend Mahomes and his explosive playmakers. Kansas City running back Kareem Hunt and wide receiver Tyreek Hill rank fourth among NFL leaders in rushing and receiving yards, respectively."They use a lot of misdirection, looks, personnel and motions early in the football game,'' Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said. "You have to withstand that first wave and understand it, along with the speed of the game.''

The Kansas City Chiefs will re-sign offensive lineman Jeff Allen assuming his physical goes well on Tuesday, according to an NFL Network report.Allen was released by the Houston Texans in July after two disappointing seasons to open a four-year, $28 million contract. He had joined Houston as a free agent after playing 44 games (36 starts) over his first four seasons with the Chiefs, who drafted him 44th overall in 2012.His signing would reinforce an ailing Kansas City offensive line. Right guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif is on injured reserve with a broken fibula and center Mitch Morse is week-to-week with a concussion sustained Sunday night against the New England Patriots.Duvernay-Tardif was originally expected to return later this season, but further evaluation revealed a spiral fracture and ligament damage that required surgery, putting a possible return in doubt.

A day after a fan at Gillette Stadium threw beer onto Kansas City's Tyreek Hill, the New England Patriots on Monday announced they have identified the fan, banned him from their stadium and turned the matter over to law enforcement.The incident happened with little more than three minutes remaining in the game Sunday night, after Hill scored on a 75-yard catch-and-run to tie the game at 40-40, his third touchdown of the game. As Hill sprinted down the sideline and into the end zone, his momentum carried him through the end zone and up against the railing of the end-zone seats.He was immediately met with numerous middle fingers in his face before a fan threw beer into Hill's face."My coach (Andy Reid) told me, 'Don't get emotional. Don't get mad about it, because it comes with the territory,'" Hill told the media after the game. "I'm not mad at all."Later Monday, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Hill and his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, want to take legal action against the fan and are discussing options with the NFL and the players' union.

Tom Brady passed for 340 yards, and the New England Patriots got a 28-yard field goal from Stephen Gostkowski as time expired Sunday night to beat the Chiefs 43-40 at Foxborough, Mass., and dump Kansas City from the unbeaten ranks.Matched against a first-year starter, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Brady led the Patriots on a game-winning drive in the final three minutes.The win was the 200th in the regular season for Brady as a starting quarterback. His 39-yard strike to tight end Rob Gronkowski gave New England (4-2) a goal-to-go situation in the final seconds.Sony Michel added 106 yards rushing for the Patriots.Mahomes countered with 352 yards passing, going 23 of 36 with four touchdowns and two interceptions.The Chiefs (5-1) rallied from a 15-point halftime deficit to go up 33-30 with 8:38 remaining. Mahomes found Tyreek Hill for a 1-yard touchdown after rookie Tremon Smith returned a kickoff 97 yards.Brady came right back to engineer 75-yard touchdown drive he capped with a 4-yard keeper at the 5:25 mark, putting the Patriots ahead 37-33.New England added a 50-yard field goal with 3:15 left by Gostkowski, but Kansas City answered in one play, a 75-yard bomb from Mahomes to Hill to tie it at 40-40.

Kansas City Chiefs outside linebacker Justin Houston is doubtful to face the New England Patriots on Sunday night, and wide receiver De'Anthony Thomas re-fractured his left leg during Thursday's practice, the team announced Friday.Head coach Andy Reid told reporters earlier in the week it was "a stretch" for Houston to play in Foxborough after he pulled his hamstring in Week 5. Also listed as doubtful is safety Eric Berry -- who hasn't played or practiced since early August due to heel soreness -- while outside linebacker Tanoh Kpassagnon is questionable with an ankle injury.Thomas got stepped on in a "freak accident" during Friday's practice and fractured the same leg he broke in the 2017 season finale. He had surgery to have a rod inserted after the initial break last year, but he is not expected to need surgery for the new break.Thomas, 25, has been primarily a gadget player in Reid's offense, lining up at wide receiver and occasionally running back. He had three catches for 29 yards and a score along with one rush for 6 yards through five games. He has also served as a punt and kick returner at times, taking his only punt return 48 yards this year.

Bill Belichick did his patented best to downplay any excitement generated by a matchup his New England Patriots face Sunday night against the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs in Foxborough, Mass.Asked if the AFC showdown had a special feel to it, the Patriots coach deadpanned: "Feels like we're playing Kansas City.''With that, however, Belichick recognized the Chiefs' potent offensive strengths, focusing on the entire ensemble rather than just the dazzling presence of Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City's first-year starting quarterback."It's really fortunate that we've had a couple of extra days to work on Kansas City,'' said Belichick, whose Pats (3-2) are coming off a Thursday night victory over Indianapolis. "They give you a lot of problems with their scheme and the way they're coached.''Throw it all together, especially with the way Mahomes can throw it, and the Chiefs (5-0) are capable of burning opponents from just about anywhere on the field."You don't want to give it all to ‘em in one play,'' Belichick said.With an extra day to spend on Mahomes, Belichick did come away impressed."He can throw it out of the stadium," he said.Added safety Devin McCourty: "It's a team that doesn't even need to get to second down a lot of times. You've got to force them to move the ball (gradually) downfield, but they can do that too.''The last 10 quarterbacks with 10 career starts or fewer when pitted against New England went 0-10.Such historic trends seem to have little bearing on Mahomes.Kansas City became the first visitor at Denver in 56 games to rally from a deficit of 10 points or more and beat the Broncos, doing so in Week 4 on a Monday night. Also, during their torrid start, the Chiefs won in Pittsburgh for the first time since 1986. Last week, Mahomes ended a streak of 15 games in which Jacksonville had not allowed a 300-yard passer.

Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Justin Houston appears unlikely to play this week against the New England Patriots, while guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif's broken leg is worse than initially believed."I think it'll be a stretch for Justin," head coach Andy Reid told reporters Wednesday of Houston's Week 6 availability. NFL Network reported earlier this week that Houston could miss "a few weeks" after pulling his hamstring in Sunday's win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.Reid also revealed that Duvernay-Tardif, who was placed on injured reserve Tuesday but was expected to return later this season, could now miss the rest of 2018. Additional testing revealed that Duvernay-Tardif has a Maisonneuve fracture -- an external rotation of the ankle that damages ligaments and creates a spiral fracture up the fibula -- and needs surgery.Chiefs VP of sports medicine and performance Rick Burkholder said Duvernay-Tardif will have surgery in Green Bay on Monday, after which the timeline for his return will become clearer. Five-year veteran Jordan Devey (37 career games, 15 starts) is expected to start at right guard moving forward, beginning against his former team, the Patriots, this week.Meanwhile, Reid said safety Eric Berry, who hasn't played or practiced since before the preseason slate began, remains "day-to-day" as he again sat out Wednesday. NFL Network reported last week that Berry has a Haglund's deformity in his Achilles tendon, a painful issue in which a bone spur digs into the tendon. It remains unclear when Berry might be able to return.Burkholder added that safety Armani Watts, who was also placed on IR on Tuesday, will have core muscle surgery Thursday.

The news is not perfect for the unbeaten Kansas City Chiefs.The 5-0 Chiefs placed two players on injured reserve Tuesday, with head coach Andy Reid revealing that starting left guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif and safety Armani Watts will both head to IR and be out for at least eight weeks, per the designation.Per ESPN, Reid believes Duvernay-Tardif will return at some point this season after suffering a broken left fibula during Kansas City's 30-14 win over Jacksonville on Sunday. Five-year veteran Jordan Devey (37 career games, 15 starts) is expected to start at left guard in the Chiefs' Week 6 matchup at New England.The rookie Watts had been listed on last Thursday's injury report with a groin issue prior to the Jaguars' game and he departed Sunday's contest in the first half and did not return. His absence leaves the Chiefs with three injured safeties in addition to Eric Berry and Daniel Sorensen.

Mahomes Mania is running wild, and Primetime Pat and the Kansas City Chiefs are getting another coveted TV slot on Oct. 21.The Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals are being flexed into the "Sunday Night Football" spot for Week 7, bumping the scheduled NFC West game between the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams to 4:25 p.m. ET, per multiple reports.Mahomes and the Chiefs are 5-0 and return to primetime this week against the New England Patriots. Kansas City won in a Week 4 "Monday Night Football" appearance at Denver.

Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Justin Houston is "very iffy" for Week 6's Sunday night game at the New England Patriots, according to an NFL Network report Monday.Per the report, the hamstring injury that caused Houston to leave Sunday's 30-14 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars early could "knock him out a few weeks."In five games this season, the 29-year-old Houston has 11 tackles and three sacks. He hasn't played a full season since 2014, when he recorded 22 sacks, a half-sack shy of the record. He has 24 sacks total since that season.Fellow outside linebacker Dee Ford, ejected during the Jaguars game to further deplete the unit, has been battling a groin injury. Outside linebacker Tanoh Kpassagnon also left Sunday's game with an ankle injury, though Chiefs coach Andy Reid called it a tweak during his Monday news conference.Kpassagnon and Breeland Speaks, the team's second-round picks in 2017 and 2018, respectively, each played more with Houston and Ford out, totaling 86 snaps (56 for Speaks).

Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones and linebacker Dee Ford were ejected from the second half of Sunday's 30-14 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars for separate incidents.After an extra point by the Jaguars in the third quarter, Jones punched at the back of the leg of Jaguars guard Andrew Norwell, well after the play was over. He was ejected for throwing a punch and was seen on the broadcast laughing as he was escorted off the field.Ford was called for taunting Blake Bortles following a sack by teammate Allen Bailey in the middle of the fourth quarter. Ford had been called for unsportsmanlike conduct earlier in the game, so his taunting foul drew an ejection by rule as his second such penalty of the game.Both players were in the middle of productive games as the Chiefs blew out the Jaguars. Jones had a sack and an interception returned for a touchdown in the first half. Ford had a strip sack of Bortles in the second quarter to set up a Chiefs field goal, and he added three QB hits and a pass defensed.

Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes continued to sparkle Sunday, passing for 313 yards and rushing for a touchdown as the undefeated Chiefs thumped the Jacksonville Jaguars 30-14 in soggy Kansas City, Mo.The 300-yard performance was the fourth straight for Mahomes and marked the first time in 16 games the Jaguars (3-2) allowed a passer to fire for 300 yards. Mahomes, who had two interceptions and no touchdown strikes, distributed the ball to 10 receivers.The 5-0 start matched a similar getaway last season when the Chiefs were quarterbacked by Alex Smith.Kansas City capitalized on five takeaways, scoring on a 20-yard interception Chris Jones returned after the defensive tackle jumped a screen pass attempted by Jacksonville quarterback Blake Bortles.Bortles threw for his first 400-yard game with 430 yards and set a team record with 61 pass attempts but had a career-high four picks.Jones was later ejected for throwing a punch after the Jaguars' first touchdown, a 14-yard pass by Bortles to running back T.J. Yeldon with 3:10 left in the third quarter.Kansas City answered that score with a 79-yard touchdown drive as running back Kareem Hunt capped it with a 4-yard rush to make it 30-7.A 20-0 halftime lead the Chiefs established was spearheaded by a defense ranked last in the NFL in yards allowed.

Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey isn't buying the much-hyped matchup between he and Kansas City Chiefs speedster Tyreek Hill, whom he said Thursday is more of a return specialist."I don't like how whoever has made it a matchup me against Tyreek," Ramsey told reporters. "He's good for what he does for their team. He made All-Pro as a return specialist -- let's get that right, as a return specialist -- his rookie year. He went to two Pro Bowls as a return specialist -- return specialist -- two years."I made All-Pro in my position as a corner. Went to the Pro Bowl as a corner. So it's not a wide-receiver-versus-corner matchup, so we can get that out of the way off the bat."Ramsey also noted the two players probably won't face each other very often Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium, because of how many different positions in which the Chiefs feature Hill. Ramsey called it a "strategic, smart move" by Hill to "get the buzz going" about the two matching one-on-one."He moves around everywhere," Ramsey said. "He plays running back, receiver, slot. Like, he's not out there on that island 90 percent of the time, where I'm at. I don't look at it as me versus him. I don't think this is really a matchup game, to be honest with you."Hill told reporters Wednesday he was looking forward to facing Ramsey, whom he called "the top dog right now" among cornerbacks, because of the chance to "get my name out there more.""He think high of himself," Hill added of Ramsey. "He's alright, I guess. I can't wait to line up against him. I hope he presses me."Ramsey objected to the seemingly contradictory assessments of "top dog" and "alright, I guess," but he made it clear that Hill will get his wish.

Acclaim for quarterback Patrick Mahomes is not restricted to the Chiefs' locker room."He is playing better than any quarterback has ever played. He is an MVP quarterback," said Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone, who is preparing a scheme designed to contain Mahomes when Jacksonville (3-1) visits Kansas City (4-0) on Sunday.High praise, indeed.But then, just about anyone who doubted Mahomes through three weeks, when he fired for 13 touchdowns without an interception, became convinced of the second-year pro's potential in prime time.Playing the AFC West-rival Broncos before a spirited Monday night crowd in Denver, Mahomes engineered two fourth-quarter drives to rally the Chiefs to victory.Every matchup involving Mahomes now carries arousing intrigue. This week, there's an added layer of interest in a strength-vs-strength showdown.The Chiefs lead the NFL with a 36.3-point average and the Jaguars are allowing a league-low 14-point average.Something must give. But so far, Mahomes has not shown a breaking point. He has not yet thrown an interception, while distributing the football to numerous playmakers.Travis Kelce leads NFL tight ends with 229 yards after catch and wide receiver Tyreek Hill ranks second in the league with six catches for 25-plus yards.If Mahomes merely executes a handoff, running back Kareem Hunt is quite capable too. Hunt, last year's NFL rushing leader as a rookie, has 289 yards and three touchdowns. He accounted for 175 yards against Denver."They're a fast group, but we're a fast group,'' said linebacker Telvin Smith. "It's going to be the best against the best. Make your move. We're going to make our move. Come out and be ready.''

Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes engineered two fourth-quarter touchdown drives Monday, passing for 304 yards as the Chiefs outlasted the host Denver Broncos 27-23.Trailing 23-13, Kansas City's flashy first-year starter sparked his first comeback as a pro, then handed to running back Kareem Hunt, who crashed in for a 4-yard touchdown with 1:39 remaining.Although he started slowly, Mahomes went 28-of-45 passing, while adding an 8-yard touchdown rush.The victory was the sixth straight in the series for the Chiefs (4-0), who opened a two-game lead in the AFC West while posting their 18th win in the last 19 matchups against division rivals.Before the game-winning drive, Mahomes completed 8 of 10 passes to drive the Chiefs 75 yards, including a 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Travis Kelce with 6:23 left to bring them within 23-20.Kelce finished with 78 yards on seven catches. Hunt added 121 yards rushing on 19 carries.On the decisive drive, the Chiefs faced second-and-30, yet Mahomes responded with a 23-yard pass to Demarcus Robinson and a 35-yarder to Demetrius Harris to get the ball to the Denver 11.Rookie running backs Phillip Lindsay and Royce Freeman rushed for 69 and 67 yards, respectively, to ignite the upset bid for Denver (2-2).

What Patrick Mahomes makes look remarkably simple is actually complex.Kansas City's first-year starting quarterback has distributed the football to an array of receivers and executed a variety of calls.The result is a slick attack that has scored touchdowns on each of its opening possessions, staking the Chiefs to a 3-0 record heading into Monday night's clash at Denver (2-1).A victory would give Kansas City an early two-game advantage in the AFC West. They carry a five-game winning streak against the Broncos."Right now, we're just dialing (plays) up and going out there and executing what's called,'' Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce said. "It's as simple as that. Not every single play is going to have to go to one certain guy and that's the fun of it. One-five (Mahomes) is going to have the opportunity to sling it around."Stitch one-five to a jersey along with Mahomes' name and you have the hottest-selling merchandise in Kansas City.A trip to Denver, however, represents a stiff divisional challenge for Mahomes, who set an NFL record with 13 touchdown passes in the first three games.Mahomes made his NFL debut at Denver in the final week of the 2017 regular season, giving former starter Alex Smith some rest after Kansas City had already clinched the West title. He completed 22 of 35 passes for 284 yards with one interception."Whether it's an advantage (for Denver) or not, I can't tell you that,'' Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. "They have seen him and we will see how it goes.''The Broncos are 2-0 at home this season with wins against Seattle and Oakland."Last year it was the last week of the season, so we didn't want to show every single play going into the playoffs,'' Mahomes said. "There's definitely going to be a little bit more added to the playbook but at the same time we have so many weapons, we can run our base stuff and still make things happen.''

Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes continued to dazzle as a first-year starter, passing for 314 yards and three touchdowns Sunday as the Chiefs toppled the San Francisco 49ers 38-27 in Kansas City, Mo.The Chiefs (3-0) treated the crowd at their home opener in Arrowhead Stadium to five touchdowns on their first five possessions, all in the first half.The loss could prove especially costly for San Francisco (1-2) after quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was carted off the field in the fourth quarter with a left knee injury. Garoppolo finished 20 of 30 for 251 yards and two touchdowns.The last of the Chiefs' touchdowns, a 12-yard pass to Sammy Watkins, was Mahomes' 13th touchdown pass of the season, enabling the former Texas Tech standout to break the NFL record of 12 touchdown passes in the first three games of a season set in 2013 by Denver's Peyton Manning.Chris Conley and Demetrius Harris also snagged TD receptions for the Chiefs, who were limited to a field goal in the second half.Kansas City scored on its first drive for the third time in as many games, converting a fourth down with a Mahomes keeper before setting up a 1-yard scoring burst by Kareem Hunt with a 16-yard completion to fullback Anthony Sherman. The Chiefs led 35-10 at halftime as Mahomes engineered touchdown drives of 57, 84, 75, 72 and 68 yards.The 49ers trailed 14-0 when they responded early in the second quarter. Garoppolo found wide-open fullback Kyle Juszczyk for a 35-yard touchdown to cap a 75-yard drive.However, the San Francisco offense failed to generate a first down on three first-half possessions.

Very little can dampen the enthusiasm Kansas City Chiefs fans feel for the home opener Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium.After all, the Chiefs won back-to-back road games to begin the season behind a first-year starting quarterback who quickly established himself as the NFL's hottest threat."I understand the excitement. I got it,'' conceded Chiefs head coach Andy Reid. "I mean everybody is excited. The reality is he's been out there for two games and he's heading for Game 3 and we're just trying to get ready to play against a good football team.''Maybe so, but it appears no record is safe with young quarterback Patrick Mahomes slinging the football as Kansas City (2-0) prepares for a visit from the San Francisco 49ers (1-1).Mahomes' 10 touchdown passes represent an NFL record through two games. He is coming off a six-touchdown performance at Pittsburgh, which tied a team record held by Hall of Fame quarterback Len Dawson. The Kansas City club record of 30 touchdown passes in a season was set by Dawson in 1964.After apprenticing as a rookie last season behind former Niners quarterback Alex Smith, Mahomes provides a more upbeat dimension. While Smith was good as the Chiefs starter, guiding them to back-to-back AFC West titles the past two seasons, he went just 1-4 as a playoff participant.Of course, Mahomes has not yet had a postseason opportunity. Frankly, the playoffs are a long way off. However, Mahomes was named AFC offensive player of the week each of the first two weeks. Tom Brady was last to do that, in 2011."To get it one time and then get it another time, it speaks to the offense and the team that we have,'' said Mahomes, who turned 23 on Monday. "I am just going out there and doing my job and I am putting in those guys' hands and they are making plays.''The 49ers can at least counter with a shutdown cornerback, Richard Sherman.However, Mahomes has been adept at distributing the football to different targets and likely could look for any receiver covered by the 49ers' other corner, Ahkello Witherspoon. The second-year pro was targeted 13 times in a victory last week over Detroit, allowing eight receptions and two touchdowns.No matter what damage Mahomes inflicts, the possibility exists for the 49ers to engage in a shootout.

Kansas City Chiefs safety Eric Berry could return to practice this week, NFL Network reported Monday.A right heel injury kept Berry out the first two games of the 2018 season. He's the league's highest-paid safety.Kansas City ranks first in the NFL in points per game but is dead last at No. 32 in total defense through two games.

In a game with wild swings and pass-happy quarterbacks, Patrick Mahomes threw for 326 yards and six touchdowns Sunday to lead the Kansas City Chiefs past the host Pittsburgh Steelers 42-37.The Chiefs (2-0) blew a three-touchdown lead, went back up by 14 points and held on.Kansas City's Travis Kelce had 109 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Mahomes has set a NFL record with 10 touchdown passes through the first two games of a season, and he finished with more touchdowns than incompletions (five).Ben Roethlisberger was 39-of-60 passing for 452 yards and three touchdowns, and he rushed for another, for Pittsburgh (0-1-1). Jesse James had 138 receiving yards with a touchdown, and JuJu Smith-Schuster 121 yards and a touchdown.It was the Chiefs' turn to score in the first quarter.Mahomes' first scoring pass came 1:55 into the game, 15 yards to Chris Conley. Kelce was up next, a 19-yard touchdown reception over the middle and a 14-0 lead with 9:08 left in the first.Pittsburgh's Chris Boswell missed a 49-yard field goal, and Kansas City said thank you with a 61-yard, six-play drive ending with Mahomes' 5-yard scoring pass to Kareem Hunt to make it 21-0.It was Pittsburgh's turn in the second quarter.Roethlisberger targeted James for a 26-yard touchdown in the first minute of the quarter, and he had a 2-yard scoring pass to Smith-Schuster. Boswell missed the extra point, leaving it 21-13.