Kansas City Chiefs 32-29 New Orleans Saints: Patrick Mahomes beats Drew Brees in back and forth battle
Monday 21 December 2020 07:41, UK
Patrick Mahomes threw three touchdown passes as the Kansas City Chiefs won their ninth consecutive game by defeating the New Orleans Saints 32-29 on Sunday.
Mahomes went 26 of 47 for 254 yards as the Chiefs improved their NFL-best record to 13-1. Drew Brees returned from a four-game absence due to rib and lung injuries, completing 15 of 34 passes for 234 yards, three TDs and an interception as the Saints (10-4) dropped their second-straight after a nine-game winning streak.
- Chiefs passing: Patrick Mahomes, 26/47, 254 yards, 3 TDs
- Rushing leader: Clyde Edwards-Helaire, 14 carries, 79 yards
- Receiving leader: Travis Kelce, eight catches, 68 yards, 1 TD
The Chiefs led 14-9 at half-time, but Brees threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Latavius Murray on the first possession of the third quarter to give the Saints their only lead at 15-14.
- Saints passing: Drew Brees, 15/34, 234 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT
- Rushing leader: Alvin Kamara, 11 carries, 54 yards
- Receiving leader: Emmanuel Sanders, four catches, 76 yards
Mahomes answered on the ensuing possession with a five-yard touchdown pass to Mecole Hardman that gave Kansas City a 21-15 lead by the end of the third.
Le'Veon Bell's 13-yard touchdown run and Mahomes' successful two-point conversion pass to Travis Kelce increased that advantage further still as Kansas City threatened to run away with it.
But Mahomes fumbled on Kansas City's next possession, Kwon Alexander recovering the ball for the Saints at the Chiefs' 25-yard line. Three plays later, Brees tossed a 14-yard touchdown pass to Alvin Kamara to make it just a one-score game again at 29-22.
Kansas City kicker Harrison Butker kicked a 22-yard field goal to make New Orleans' task just that little but tougher, though Brees managed to throw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Lil'Jordan Humphrey to cut the Chiefs' lead to 32-29.
But, with little more than two minutes left. Kansas City gained two first downs on their next series to successfully run out the clock and come away with the victory.
Earlier in the game, Brees' first three passes were incomplete and his fourth one was intercepted by L'Jarius Sneed, leading to a Mahomes five-yard touchdown pass to Tyreek Hill and a 7-0 lead by the end of the first quarter.
On the first play of the second quarter, Mahomes found an open man in the endzone again, this time picking out Kelce from a yard out for a 14-0 lead.
Brees eventually shrugged off the rust and connected with Emmanuel Sanders for a 51-yard gain down to the Kansas City three-yard line, setting up a Taysom Hill goal-line touchdown run that made the score 14-7.
Kansas City's Demarcus Robinson fumbled on a punt return shortly before the half, with the ball rolling through the endzone for a safety, trimming the Chiefs' lead to 14-9.
The Saints tried manfully to wrestle that advantage from them in the second half, but it wasn't to be.
Meanwhile, in more concerning news for Kansas City, their rookie running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire was injured in the fourth quarter, needing to be helped to the locker room, struggling to put any pressure on his left leg.
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