Chiefs beat Bucs behind Patrick Mahomes’ dazzling performance

Patrick Mahomes lit up Raymond James Stadium, totaling three touchdown passes in the Kansas City Chiefs’ win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 41-31, on Sunday night. 

Mahomes was electrifying to begin the game and he wouldn’t let up as time continued to tick on. The first half was where his magic was seen, as Mahomes avoided pressure and pulled off some crazy passes to put the Chiefs ahead early. 

The game began with the Bucs fumbling on the opening kickoff and it took Mahomes just two plays to get into the end zone, thanks to Travis Kelce leaping over a defender into the end zone. Kelce had nine catches for 92 yards.

But it didn’t stop from there. Mahomes went 12 plays and 79 yards as Clyde Edwards-Helaire capped off the drive with a three-yard run to make it 14-3 in favor of the road team. 

Mahomes’ wizardry came through on his next drive though. After the defense forced a three-and-out, Mahomes again charged his way down the field and found Edwards-Helaire in the end zone, but this time he had to scramble right, dodge a defender and shovel pass his way to the end zone. 

PATRICK MAHOMES MAKES RIDICULOUS FIRST-HALF PLAYS VS. BUCCANEERS

As football fans know, Tom Brady wasn’t going to go down without a fight. He found Mike Evans in the end zone twice in the second quarter, one of which came with just 10 seconds left before the half. That made the deficit 28-17 in favor of the Chiefs, though. 

Mahomes got the ball as the second half began and dropped 10 more points on the scoreboard for Kansas City, as Jody Forston caught a 10-yard slant for a score on the drive after Matthew Wright, filling in for the injured Harrison Butker, knocked home a 44-yard field goal. 

Brady, once again, kept battling back but it just wouldn’t be enough in the end. Rachaad White found the end zone with a one-yard run at the end of the third quarter, but Wright kicked home three more points at the beginning of the fourth. 

By the time Leonard Fournette picked up his first touchdown of the year – a five-yard reception – it was too late as it was 41-31 with 3:30 remaining in the game. 

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Mahomes’ stat sheet doesn’t paint the entire picture of what he was able to do against one of the best defenses in the league thus far. He went 23-for-37 for 249 yards with three touchdowns and an interception, while rushing for 34 yards on four carries. 

Edwards-Helaire had 92 yards on the ground on 19 touches. 

Brady had a superb game on the stat sheet, though, with 385 yards and three touchdowns on 39-for-52, but it was all for naught. Evans was his favorite target, as he caught eight balls for 103 yards. 

The Chiefs will take their 3-1 record to Monday night next week when they face the Las Vegas Raiders at Arrowhead Stadium. 

The Bucs will look to bounce back at home against the Atlanta Falcons.