Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes lead the festivities from the sidelines as Chiefs rest the star names but end the NFL regular season with a dramatic win at the Chargers… with Chris Jones earning a $1.25 million bag bonus in LA
- A late Harrison Butker field goal gave the Chiefs a 13-12 win over the Chargers
- Neither Travis Kelce nor Patrick Mahomes played in the regular season finale
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Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce led the festivities as the Kansas City Chiefs powered their way to winning their final regular-season game against the Chargers on Sunday.
With a playoff berth secured, Chiefs coach Andy Reid decided not to dress his stars as they traveled to Los Angeles for the finals.
The Chiefs fell 12-10 late in the fourth before stealing the game with a 41-yard field goal conversion from Harrison Butker. Kansas City defeated the Chargers 13-12.
Despite not getting into gear, Mahomes and Kelce did their part for the team as they played a hard-fought game against their AFC West rivals.
Kansas City (11-6) trailed by two points after Cameron Dicker made his fourth field goal of the day, a 20-yarder with 4:06 left that gave Los Angeles (5-12) its only lead of the game. But Blaine Gabbert ran for gains of 25 and 14 yards to put Butker within range for the game winner.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes led the festivities as the Chiefs defeated the Chargers
Travis Kelce, who did not play on Sunday, congratulates Chris Jones after a sack
The Chiefs got another reason to celebrate in the third quarter after captain and defensive back Chris Jones unlocked his contract incentive with his 10th sack of the season. Mahomes and Kelce joined the team's blowout when Jones secured a $1.25 million bonus with the tackle on Stick.
Kansas City started this season 6-1 before losing five of its next eight games.
Fortunately, the Chiefs enter the playoffs with back-to-back wins to end the season. Kansas City will be the third seed in the AFC and host a wild-card round next weekend.
Gabbert completed 15 of 30 passes for 154 yards with an interception for the Chiefs in place of Mahomes.
Chargers quarterback Easton Stick connected on 28 of 47 passes for 258 yards and also rushed for 77 yards on 13 attempts. But he failed on a fourth-and-3 pass from the Los Angeles 33 with 13 seconds left to seal the outcome.
Kelce and Mahomes watch from the sidelines during the 13-12 victory for Kansas City
Mahomes also was among Kansas City's starters who sat out Sunday's game in Los Angeles
The Chargers defeated the Chiefs 353-268, but still lost their fifth straight game. After a 4-4 start, they dropped eight of their last nine.
The lone touchdown came via Kansas City's defense on Los Angeles' first drive. The Chargers drove smartly to the 4, but Stick started to fumble. Mike Edwards carried the ball 97 yards to give the Chiefs a 7-0 lead at 4:56 of the first quarter.
Butker capped Kansas City's best drive of the day – 12 plays, 66 yards – with a 22-yard field goal with 4:03 left in the first half, pushing the lead to 10. Los Angeles got on the board with Dicker's 49 and 40 field goals in the final 2:43, cutting the halftime deficit to 10-6.
Dicker beat the Chargers within 10-9 with a 43-yard field goal with 4:11 remaining in the third quarter, capping a 12-play, 60-yard drive that lasted 5:59.