Mahomes and the Chiefs Topple the Titans in Overtime

KANSAS CITY, MO — On a drama-filled Sunday night in Kansas City where the game needed overtime to decide a winner, the Kansa City Chiefs (5-2) hosted the Tennessee Titans (5-2) on Nov. 6 at Arrowhead Stadium at 7:30 p.m. 

Kansas City’s quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, threw the ball 68 times to overcome the Titans on a night where Titans’ RB Derrick Henry ran the ball for 112 yards and two touchdowns. The Chiefs pulled out the win in overtime, 20-17.

The Chiefs controlled the football for much of the first quarter. After receiving the opening kickoff, Kansas City drove 69 yards on 15 plays chewing up 8:13 seconds of the first quarter before Harrison Butker kicked a 23-yard field goal. 

Now with a 3-0 lead, the Chiefs’ defense quickly forced the Titans to punt then the Cheifs went back to work. Dialed in early, Patrick Mahomes found TE Travis Kelce wide open for 23 yards, WR Juju Smith-Schuster for 31, and then WR Kadarius Toney for 10 yards, recently acquired from the Giants. Mahomes capped off the 79-yard drive with a 7-yard touchdown pass to WR Mecole Hardman to extend the lead to 9-0.

The Titans finally got their offense going in the second quarter. Rookie QB Malik Willis, starting for injured starter Ryan Tannehill, got the ball rolling on the ground with a 17-yard scamper across the midfield stripe. Derrick Henry then bruised his way inside the 20-yard line. Three plays and a penalty later, Henry forced his way into the end zone for a touchdown. The Titans finally got on the board but trailed 9-7 with 10:48 to go in the 2nd quarter.

After forcing the Chiefs to punt, the Titans continued to succeed on the ground. Derrick Henry split the defense and sprinted 56 yards to Kansas City’s 23-yard line. Willis hit TE Austin Hooper up the seam for 18 yards to set up a 1-yard touchdown rush by Derrick Henry. With 5:24 remaining in the first half, the Titans took the lead 14-9.

Tennessee added three points to their total following an interception by Patrick Mahomes in the 3rd quarter. Mahomes tossed a pass out to the right to Travis Kelce, but DB Roger McCreary stepped in front of the pass to pick it off. Kansas City stymied the Titans on defense, but Randy Bullock still nailed a 44-yard field goal to increase Tennessee’s lead to 17-9.

With the ball at Kansas City’s 7-yard line and down nine points with 9:54 left in the game, Patrick Mahomes needed to step up for the Chiefs to have a chance at victory. He orchestrated a 13-play, 93-yard drive to score a touchdown. Faced with a 3rd and nine at Tennessee’s 14-yard line, Mahomes failed to see anyone open in the end zone. Instead, reminiscent of his days at Texas Tech, the ex-Red Raider scrambled away from would-be tacklers to the left and beat the Titans to the edge for the 14-yard touchdown. Down 17-15, the Chiefs went for the two-point conversion. Mahomes scrambled again, to the right this time, to tie the game. 

Time ran out in regulation, and the game headed to overtime. The Chiefs started with the ball, and Mahomes once again delivered. Leading a 13-play, 64-yard drive, the Mahomes got the Chiefs into field goal range. Butker nailed the 28-yard field goal, and the Chiefs took the lead, 20-17.

The Titans had one final opportunity to tie or win the game, but after stuffing Derrick Henry on first down, the Chiefs sacked Malik Willis twice in a row to force 4th down and 26 yards to go. Willis failed to convert the impossible distance, and the Chiefs won 20-17. 

Analysis

Patrick Mahomes went 43/68 for 446 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Mahomes also led the Chiefs on the ground with six attempts for 63 yards. However, four of the Chiefs’ running backs combined for only 14 yards on 13 attempts.

Patrick Mahomes played as an NFL MVP should. The Chiefs continue their hunt for another Super Bowl, but the lack of a rushing attack could prove fatal in the playoffs. 

Malik Willis, in contrast, only completed five passes on 16 attempts for 80 yards. The rookie had a tough night filling in for Ryan Tannehill, but the experience he gains from this is invaluable. The more reps he gets at quarterback, against good teams like the Chiefs, do nothing but temper the young man for the future.

Derrick Henry Led the Titan's rushing attack with 17 attempts for 112 yards and two touchdowns. Willis added 40 yards on the ground. Tennessee’s greatest strength continues to be the ground game, and expect them to rely on it even more so moving forward if Tannehill misses significant time. Overall the Titans played well against an NFL powerhouse. This matchup almost certainly will come back around come playoff time, and the Chiefs might be so fortunate next time.

The Kansas City Chiefs (6-2) host the Jacksonville Jaguars (3-6) at Arrowhead Stadium next week, Nov. 13, at noon.

The Tennessee Titans (5-3) host the Denver Broncos (3-5) at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, TN, next week, Nov. 13, at noon.