NFL: Kansas City Chiefs beat Seattle Seahawks at Arrowhead Stadium

The Kansas City Chiefs continued their hot streak with a hard-fought 24-20 victory over reigning Super Bowl champions Seattle Seahawks at Arrowhead Stadium.

A bare-knuckle running battle was expected between two of the best rushing teams in the NFL, both with barely any aerial attack, and that’s exactly what it proved to be as the duo combined for 394 rushing yards against just 276 yards passing.

Jamaal Charles starred for the Chiefs with 159 yards rushing and two touchdowns, while Marshawn Lynch ran for 124 yards for Seattle but was kept out of the end zone by a Chiefs defence yet to concede a rushing scored this season.

Russell Wilson scored on TD throws to Doug Baldwin and Tony Moeaki, but he could just not find a way into the end zone when it mattered late on as their offensive struggles proved to be their undoing.

The Chiefs have now won five on the bounce, and seven of the last eight, as they joined Denver at the top of the AFC West at 7-3 after the Broncos lost in St Louis – while the Seahawks are struggling to keep up in the NFC West.

Strong start

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The Chiefs set the tone from their very first drive when they marched 86 yards in 15 plays in just over nine minutes before Charles capped it off with a one-yard touchdown run.

Seattle answered in similar style with plenty of Lynch’s barnstorming runs, but it was through the air that they finally got into the end zone, with Doug Baldwin catching a seven-yard strike from Wilson.

Charles hit back for the Chiefs, with a 28-yard run followed soon after on the same drive by a 16-yard rush into the end zone for his second score of the day.

Steven Hauschka made two field goals in the closing minutes to make it an intriguing half time score of 14-13 to the home side.

Cairo Santos booted Kansas City four points in front in the third quarter, but again Seattle hit back and again, with the Chiefs not allowing a running touchdown all season, Wilson had to strike through the air.

Fighting back

To the horror of the home fans it was former Chiefs tight end Tony Moeaki who wriggled clear of the coverage to catch a floated one-yard pass in the right corner of the end zone.

The Chiefs went back in front in the fourth quarter –again it was Charles that did most of the damage with a 47-yard run dancing down the left sideline – but this time his backfield partner Knile Davis got the goal line carry and he converted from four yards out.

Seattle marched all the way down to the edge of the Chiefs goal line with seven minutes left to play, and just two yards out they went for it on fourth down, but Wilson couldn’t find Baldwin with the throw.

The Chiefs had to punt out of their own end zone, but then the defence stood firm again when they stopped Lynch on a fourth-and-one as the Seahawks again went for it with three-and-a-half minutes to go.

Special teams play then set-up the victory, as Junior Hemmingway did superbly to keep a Chiefs punt out of the Seahawks end zone and Seattle had to start on their own four yard line, and that proved too much for them as they eventually coughed up possession, handing the Chiefs the win.