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The Kansas City Chiefs have overwhelmed the short-handed Washington Commanders 28-7 on “Monday Night time Soccer.”
Travis Kelce turned again the clock for a classic efficiency, making six catches for 99 yards and a landing. Patrick Mahomes doubled his interceptions this season with two within the first half, however made up for it with three landing passes within the second half.
Compelled to start out Marcus Mariota at quarterback in lieu of the injured Jayden Daniels (hamstring), the Commanders struggled to complete drives, scoring their fewest factors in over two years.
After beginning the season 0-2, Kansas Metropolis has now gained 5 of its final six video games to enhance to 5-3. Washington suffered its third straight loss, falling to 3-5.
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Chiefs vs. Commanders takeaways: Kansas Metropolis dominates second half to win third consecutive recreation
Week 9 is just a few days away, with Miami internet hosting Baltimore kicking issues off on Thursday night time.
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Although Patrick Mahomes had a two-interception first half (one was deflected off the arms of Travis Kelce), he didn’t harm his odds of successful MVP, because of the dominant second half.
Mahomes, who entered the season because the sportsbook favourite for the award forward of Buffalo Payments quarterback Josh Allen, was spectacular within the last half-hour, displaying his full arsenal of passes and runs whereas displaying off for a nationally TV viewers.
Mahomes accomplished 25 of 34 passes for 299 yards and three touchdowns together with his two interceptions. He and the Chiefs journey to face Allen and the Buffalo Payments on Sunday.
The Chiefs' protection continued a season-long pattern of permitting some yardage however coming by in important moments. That was very true within the first half, when the Commanders averaged a wholesome 6.1 yards per play however have been held to seven factors because of a well timed interception from defensive finish Mike Danna and two different fourth-down stops.
In response to TruMedia, the Chiefs turned simply the second crew this season (becoming a member of the Los Angeles Rams) to permit seven factors or fewer in consecutive video games. Kansas Metropolis’s protection hadn’t completed that feat because the 2019 season.
Patrick Mahomes gave the impression to be toying with the Commanders' protection on the third of these drives, wheeling for no-look sidearm passes and dancing across the pocket to maneuver defenders whereas enjoying the world’s highest type of yard soccer.
It was a reminder — after a two-interception first half — of simply how harmful this Chiefs offense will be with all its receivers wholesome and Rice again from a six-game suspension.
By means of these first three drives of the second half, the Chiefs averaged 8.9 yards per play whereas executing their 80-, 75- and 94-yard scoring drives.
And what in regards to the Commanders, who’ve fallen to 3-5? The playoff simulator takes a look at their chances, which have dropped to 9 p.c. In the event that they win subsequent week although …
The Chiefs' win over the Commanders was their fifth in six video games. However what did it imply for his or her playoff hopes about midway by the season? Take a look at the latest on our NFL playoff simulator, which is up to date after tonight's recreation and has the Chiefs projected because the third seed within the AFC and with an 86 p.c likelihood to make the playoffs.
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It’s so bizarre to see Patrick Mahomes throw two interceptions in a recreation, not to mention in a single half, so once you see it occur, it may make you suppose he had a nasty recreation. That’s not near the reality.
Mahomes bounced again fantastically within the second half and completed with 299 yards passing and three TD passes. However the numbers don’t actually do the efficiency justice.
He all the time appears to be in management, and the defenses all the time appear to be scrambling and on their heels. The best way Mahomes performs the place is like nothing we’ve ever seen earlier than within the sport. It’s a pleasure to observe … except he’s doing it to your crew.
Kansas Metropolis hits the highway the subsequent two weeks: at Buffalo after which at Denver.
Washington hosts Seattle on “Sunday Night time Soccer” subsequent week and Detroit on Nov. 9.
Time and time once more tonight, we noticed Patrick Mahomes make a ravishing throw whereas scrambling. Listed below are his passing stats from tonight when operating at the least 8 miles per hour on the time of his throw, in response to Subsequent Gen Stats.
The Cowboys, Commanders and Giants every misplaced in Week 8 because the Eagles' grip on first place tightens. The Commanders have misplaced three straight.
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The Broncos and Chargers successful this week simply means the race for the AFC West title intensifies heading into Week 9. The Chiefs nonetheless have one other date towards the Chargers and two towards the Broncos.
AFC West
Marcus Mariota handed for 213 yards tonight, and people are usually not large yards by any means, however he related with eight pass-catchers within the loss.
Jeremy McNichols led the best way with 5 catches for 63 yards, and Terry McLaurin added three catches for 54 yards, and Luke McCaffrey had three catches for twenty-four yards.
Deebo Samuel had three catches for 11 yards.
WR Terry McLaurin says he’s “fairly optimistic” about his quad damage. He says he’ll see how he feels tomorrow and can take it daily.
DT Javon Kinlaw says he’s OK after lacking a part of the second half. He had an ungainly fall that put his full physique weight on his higher arm space. He was about to return in and so they held him again.
It didn’t really feel just like the Commanders did a lot to assist quarterback Marcus Mariota tonight. Was he nice? No. However are you able to anticipate your backup to be nice?
Washington had simply 60 yards dashing, led by Mariota with 28. His eight carries have been topped solely by Jacory Croskey-Merritt’s 9.
That’s not adequate.
Lastly, Mahomes spoke to ESPN about Travis Kelce, who tied Priest Holmes for probably the most touchdowns in Chiefs historical past tonight.
“That's the true Chief of Chiefs. He’s the man who was right here earlier than me, units the tradition. He's the man who's within the constructing early, within the constructing late, he's the chief of the crew. So have the ability to get him that file, tying it, let's exit and break it now.”
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Mahomes additionally spoke to ESPN in regards to the two interceptions he threw within the first half, which doubled his complete of interceptions on the season.
“The primary one was a hell of a play. Lattimore, that's an ideal participant making an ideal play. I threw the ball the place I wished to, he made an ideal play. The second, that stuff occurs. You gotta dwell by it, you gotta play by it. Our protection saved holding them, giving us possibilities. And we bought it going within the second half.”
Patrick Mahomes spoke to ESPN's Lisa Salters after the Chiefs' win, first about how the crew pulled away to win in dominant trend after the rating was tied 7-7 at halftime.
“Yeah we simply executed higher (within the second half). That they had extra vitality than we did beginning the sport off, their protection vs. our offense. We simply had far more vitality in that second half. We executed at the next stage, didn't flip the ball over, and our protection held robust.”
It felt like Washington was on this recreation at halftime, nevertheless it simply didn’t play out that method within the second half. The Commanders completed with 260 yards of offense and didn’t do a lot after the break, whereas the Chiefs rolled with three touchdowns within the second half.
