KANSAS CITY — We’ve come to expect nothing less from Joe Burrow vs. Patrick Mahomes. But the ending to this early-season nail-biter felt more like a playoff gut-punch.
Harrison Butker converted a 51-yard field goal as time expired to lift the Kansas City Chiefs (2-0) past the visiting Bengals (0-2), 26-25, Sunday at GEHA Field at Arrowhead.
Mahomes completed 18-of-25 passes for just 151 yards. But he tossed two touchdowns, including a 44-yard toss to Rashee Rice.
Mahomes had one final chance on fourth-and-16 from the Chiefs 35 when rookie safety Daijahn Anthony was called for pass interference with 38 seconds remaining, running through receiver Rashee Rice moments before the ball was arriving.
The 29-yard penalty gave KC a first down allowed the Chiefs to gain the necessary yardage to set up the game-winning kick and send Cincinnati to its third straight 0-2 start.
Joe Burrow was 23-of-36 for 258 yards and a pair of touchdown passes to Andrei Iosivas.
“I think the fact that it’s a long season and this is only the second game gives us a little bit of hope.” Andrei Iosivas pic.twitter.com/B5NS89F8jE
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) September 16, 2024
The game was another installment of one of the NFL’s most riveting rivalries of the last four years, with Mahomes winning the last three, and improving to 3-2 lifetime against Burrow.
Burrow started the game completing his first six targets to tight ends for 93 yards, three of which went to Sample and another two went rookie Erick All. Burrow completed 9-of-10 passes to tight ends in the first half for 113 yards, including a pinpoint 19-yard sideline route.
After a 33-yard Evan McPherson field goal, the Bengals forced another turnover when Sheldon Rankins punched the ball loose from running back Carson Steele at midfield and Germaine Pratt recovered. The Bengals converted with their third field goal of the day, a 48-yard field goal to make it 16-10.
Trey Hendrickson, with two sacks on the day against rookie left tackle Kingsley Suamataia, provided a key spark to the defense with a sack of Patrick Mahomes on Kansas City’s final drive before the half.
Hendrickson finished with four tackles, two sacks and three quarterback hits on Mahomes.
The Chiefs drove 70 yards on the opening drive of the second half and took their first lead of the game, 17-16, on a one-yard tackle-eligible pass to Wanya Morris.
The Bengals lost tackle BJ Hill to a left hamstring injury midway through the second quarter. They then lost Sheldon Rankins to a hamstring injury in the fourth quarter.
Joe Burrow answered with a long drive of his own, capped with a fourth-down touchdown pass of four yards to Andrei Iosivas. The extra point was missed and the Bengals led, 22-17. Cam Taylor-Britt, burned on the 44-yard TD pass to Rice, redeemed himself with a spectacular one-handed grab of a Mahomes pass intended for Xavier Worthy.
“That shit hurt. We’re back at square one…We’ve been (0-2) in all three of my years here.” Cam Taylor-Britt pic.twitter.com/mgNTnl21Sy
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) September 16, 2024
Burrow was taken down on a scramble the next time the Bengals had the ball and cornerback Chamarri Conner scooped it and ran 38 yards for the go-ahead score and a 23-22 lead.
Ja’Marr Chase nearly cost the Bengals dearly on the next drive, as he was hit with a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty after being taken to the ground hard by corner Trent McDuffie.
Joe Burrow came over to try and settle him down but not before the flag came out. Still, Evan McPherson connected on his fourth field goal of the day, from 53 yards with 9:28 left in the fourth quarter.
