By Joe Person, Nate Taylor and RJ Kraft
Patrick Mahomes orchestrated a game-winning drive capped by Spencer Shrader’s 31-yard field goal as time expired to push the Kansas City Chiefs past the Carolina Panthers, 30-27, on Sunday.
In the final minute, Mahomes connected with DeAndre Hopkins to convert a key third-down completion, and then Mahomes scrambled for 33 yards to set up the winning kick.
MAHOMES. 33-YARD RUN.
📺: #KCvsCAR on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/HbrtvTfb6n— NFL (@NFL) November 24, 2024
The late drive was needed after Panthers quarterback Bryce Young rallied his team. Trailing by eight, Young got the ball back with 3:21 left at Kansas City’s 49-yard line and engineered a game-tying drive capped off by Chuba Hubbard’s touchdown run and two-point conversion.
In the win, Mahomes — who was sacked a season-high five times — connected with nine different receivers for 269 yards and three touchdowns. Star tight end Travis Kelce moved to third on the all-time list for the career receiving yards by a tight end, passing Antonio Gates.
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Kansas City improves to 10-1 and keeps its grip on the best record in the AFC ahead of a visit from the Las Vegas Raiders on Black Friday. Carolina (3-8) will host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers next week.
Chiefs’ D fails to rattle Young
Steve Spagnuolo, the Chiefs’ longtime defensive coordinator, has a dilemma: He can no longer blitz the opposing quarterback as a luxury. Instead, Spagnuolo once again had to blitz Young out of necessity because the Chiefs’ defensive line was not dominant in clear pass-rushing situations. The problem is that the Chiefs still didn’t do enough to rattle Carolina’s quarterback despite a number of blitzes in the second half.
The Panthers recognized Spagnuolo’s blitzes and Young was able to consistently get the ball out to one of his receivers in a one-on-one matchup. Either Young’s pass was completed or one of the Chiefs’ defensive backs — nickel defender Chamarri Conner or cornerbacks Nazeeh Johnson or Trent McDuffie — committed a pass interference penalty to continue the Panthers’ drive that tied the game with less than two minutes left. Entering Sunday’s game, the Chiefs tied for 27th in the league with just 19 sacks. The Chiefs exited Bank of America Stadium sacking Young only twice. — Nate Taylor, Chiefs beat writer
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Young, Canales make major strides
It’s time to give some credit to first-year coach Dave Canales for his creative play calling. Both Canales and Young took huge steps Sunday against the two-time, reigning Super Bowl champion Chiefs and the NFL’s fifth-ranked defense (based on yards allowed per game). Canales has already named the second-year signal caller as his starter for Week 13.
Young had one of the best games of his young career, showing poise in the pocket and touch on his passes. His 262 passing yards were the second-most of his career, trailing only a 312-yard effort against Green Bay last season. — Joe Person, Panthers beat writer
An emerging weapon for Mahomes
Just before the season began, the Chiefs signed tight end Noah Gray, a fourth-year tight end, to a three-year, $18 million extension. The deal signaled that Gray would be a target for Mahomes after Kelce, the future Hall of Fame tight end, retired, whether after this season or the next. Since then, Gray has become perhaps Mahomes’ most reliable pass catcher not named Kelce.
Running routes alongside Kelce, Gray led the Chiefs against the Panthers with two touchdown receptions, another impressive performance following his two touchdown receptions the previous week against the Buffalo Bills. Including Sunday’s game, Gray has recorded 27 receptions on 30 targets for a career-high 315 yards and a career-high four touchdowns this season. — Taylor
Noah Gray’s second TD of the day!
📺: #KCvsCAR on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/enVkvB5nWM— NFL (@NFL) November 24, 2024
Carolina’s pass rush emerges in loss
The Panthers’ defense had a couple of big stops in the fourth quarter, but ultimately couldn’t contain Mahomes with the game on the line. After forcing its first two punts of the games on back-to-back possessions, the Panthers let Mahomes get loose for a 33-yard scramble that set up Shrader’s game-winning field goal. The defense still has its warts. Jaycee Horn and Dane Jackson both had rough games in coverage. But they may have found their pass rush: The Panthers’ five sacks of Mahomes were a season high, with Jadeveon Clowney notching 1.5 of them. — Person
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(Photo: Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
