Patrick Mahomes threw for 331 yards, Kareem Hunt ran for 102 yards and a touchdown, and the Chiefs overcame more red zone issues on Monday to beat the New Orleans Saints 26-13 on a big night for Kansas City’s professional sports teams.
Just as the Chiefs were moving to 5-0 behind another stellar defensive performance, the Royals were defeating the Yankees in Game 2 of their AL Division Series in New York. The game was filled with chants of “Let’s go Royals!” and when the Royals secured a 4-2 victory to tie the series at one game apiece, the excitement rippled through Arrowhead Stadium.
The Chiefs also had plenty to celebrate. Rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy scored a touchdown, and their defense effectively shut down Derek Carr, dealing the Saints (2-3) their third straight loss. Carr threw for 185 yards with two touchdowns and an interception before leaving the game with an oblique injury in the final quarter.
The Saints’ Alvin Kamara managed just 26 yards rushing on 11 carries, continuing the trend of high-profile running backs struggling against the Chiefs. They previously held the Ravens’ Derrick Henry to 46 yards rushing, Zack Moss of the Bengals to 34, Falcons star Bijan Robinson to 31, and JK Dobbins to 32 in their win over the Chargers.
Monday night’s first half was eventful: Hunt scored his first TD since returning to Kansas City, Carr connected with Rashid Shaheed for a 43-yard touchdown, and Travis Kelce executed another lateral play on a bizarre drive. The Chiefs were leading 10-7 when a fumbled pitch and a holding penalty left them facing second-and-34. They managed to convert a fourth-and-short play to set up an eventual field goal.
Field goals kept New Orleans in the game, as the Chiefs continued to struggle in the red zone. They were forced to rely on Harrison Butker’s kicks to lead 16-7 at halftime. Their red zone issues persisted in the third quarter when Smith-Schuster had a pass bounce off his hands into the arms of former Chiefs defensive tackle Khalen Saunders, who made his first career interception.
The Saints quickly responded with a 65-yard drive, narrowing the gap to 16-13 with 14:16 left. However, unlike previous games, the Chiefs answered with a decisive move. Smith-Schuster caught a 50-yard pass, and Worthy scored a touchdown to extend their lead. After stopping the Saints on fourth down, they added another field goal with 3:03 remaining.