Chiefs Surge Past Commanders with Dominant Second-Half Performance
The Kansas City Chiefs shook off a sluggish start to cruise past the Washington Commanders 28-7 on Monday night at Arrowhead Stadium, extending their winning streak to three games and improving to 5-3 on the season.
What looked like a competitive contest at halftime turned into a statement win for Kansas City, which dominated the second half behind three touchdown passes from Patrick Mahomes and a stifling defensive effort that shut down Washington’s backup quarterback Marcus Mariota.
Chiefs Overcome Early Mistakes to Take Control
The game started poorly for Kansas City. Mahomes threw interceptions on each of the team’s first two possessions, doubling his season total in a matter of minutes. The second pick came off a deflection when Travis Kelce failed to secure a screen pass.
Despite the early turnovers, the Commanders couldn’t capitalize. Washington turned the ball over on downs twice in the first quarter and threw an interception of their own when Deebo Samuel bobbled a screen pass in the red zone, allowing Mike Danna to snag the easy pick.
The teams traded touchdowns before halftime. Kareem Hunt punched in a 1-yard score for Kansas City, while Terry McLaurin made a spectacular toe-tap catch in the corner of the end zone to tie the game at 7-7 heading into the break.
Second Half Dominance Seals Victory
Whatever adjustments Andy Reid made at halftime worked to perfection. The Chiefs came out of the locker room and never looked back.
Kansas City received the second-half kickoff and immediately marched down the field. A costly unnecessary roughness penalty on Washington safety Quan Martin, who delivered a helmet-to-helmet hit on Noah Gray, gave the Chiefs fresh life at their own 40-yard line. Two plays later, Kelce broke free for a 38-yard catch-and-run down the sideline, setting up Hunt’s second touchdown of the night.
The floodgates opened from there. Mahomes connected with Kelce on a 10-yard touchdown pass to extend the lead to 21-7. The score was particularly significant for Kelce, as it tied him with former running back Priest Holmes for the most touchdowns in Chiefs franchise history with 83.
Mahomes capped the scoring with a touchdown pass to Rashee Rice, who finished with nine catches for 93 yards. The 94-yard drive put the game out of reach and gave Kansas City its third straight blowout victory.
Commanders’ Struggles Without Daniels Continue
Playing without injured starting quarterback Jayden Daniels for the second time this season, Washington showed flashes in the first half but couldn’t sustain any momentum after the break.
Mariota completed 14 of 17 passes for 155 yards, a touchdown, and an interception in the first half, keeping the Commanders competitive. However, Kansas City’s defense adjusted at halftime, blanketing Washington’s receivers and forcing Mariota into difficult throws on key downs.
The Commanders managed just 194 total yards and couldn’t score after halftime, extending their losing streak and falling to 3-5 on the season.
Washington’s offensive struggles without Daniels highlight how dependent the team has become on its young quarterback. After last season’s magical 12-5 campaign and run to the NFC championship game, the Commanders are finding it difficult to recapture that success. They now sit three games behind the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC East and face an uphill battle to secure a wild-card berth.
What This Win Means for Kansas City
The victory marked the third time in four games that the Chiefs have topped 400 yards of offense, a sign that the unit is hitting its stride at the right time.
After stumbling to an 0-2 start, Kansas City has reeled off five wins in its last six games. The offense looks as explosive as it has in years, with Mahomes spreading the ball around to multiple weapons. Kelce continues to make history, Rice is emerging as a reliable target, and the return of running back Isiah Pacheco has added another dimension to the attack.
The defense, meanwhile, has found its footing after early-season struggles. Steve Spagnuolo’s unit forced three turnovers and held the Commanders scoreless in the second half, continuing a recent trend of dominant performances.
Looking Ahead: Buffalo Looms Large
While the Chiefs will savor this victory, their focus must quickly shift to next week’s critical matchup against the Buffalo Bills. The game carries extra weight given Buffalo’s recent regular-season dominance over Kansas City during the Patrick Mahomes-Andy Reid era.
The Bills have consistently had the Chiefs’ number when it matters most in the regular season, making this upcoming clash a potential measuring stick for how far Kansas City has come since its slow start to the season.
If the Chiefs can carry over their second-half performance from Monday night, they’ll enter that game with plenty of confidence. But they can’t afford the kind of sluggish first half they displayed against Washington. Buffalo won’t be as forgiving.
For now, though, Kansas City can enjoy another convincing win and the knowledge that it’s playing its best football of the season at the perfect time.
