Chiefs rally late for win vs. Chargers. Here’s how they did it — and what it means

No, it’s not official official yet, but let’s speak the truth about the Kansas City Chiefs’ 30-27 road win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday night at SoFi Stadium:

Kansas City has won the AFC West. Again.

This’ll be the seventh straight year, and statistically all that’s left now is waiting for a few weeks to pass. Following an offseason where the Chargers bolstered their defense with multiple free-agent additions, the Denver Broncos mortgaged their future for quarterback Russell Wilson and the Las Vegas Raiders went all-in to trade for all-pro receiver Davante Adams ... the results were all the same once again.

And to be honest, the Chiefs stopped the AFC West fight quicker this season than many others.

With seven weeks left, according to FiveThirtyEight, KC now has a greater than 99% chance to win the division. The Chiefs are 8-2, while the Chargers are 5-5 as the closest competitors, though add to it that the Chiefs have now swept the Chargers and the result is a race that’s all but over.

This was a quintessential Kansas City win, led by Patrick Mahomes ... and Travis Kelce.

The Chiefs, trailing 27-23 with 1:46 left, needed just six plays to go 75 yards for the game-winning touchdown. The score went to who else but Kelce, who came across the middle for a 17-yard touchdown and his third score of the day.

“Their chemistry is ridiculous,” Reid told reporters after the game. “You know coming into this game, (the Chargers) had a plan for Kelc(e). He and Pat were able to work through it.”

Nick Bolton came down with an interception on the Chargers’ final desperation drive, delivering the final needed play for the Chiefs’ unofficial coronation.

Mahomes completed 20 of 34 passes for 329 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions.

Kelce, meanwhile, had six catches for 115 yards with his three scores.

“He had to fight like crazy the whole game and come up with things on the fly to get himself open,” Reid told reporters. “It was a tribute to the Chargers and the way they did it, but it’s also a big tribute to Kelc for battling through.”

Here’s what else stood out Sunday night:

Injuries pile up

Chiefs running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire left in the first quarter with an ankle injury and went to the locker room right after for tests. The Chiefs first listed him as questionable to return but then downgraded him to “out” at halftime.

Reid told reporters afterward that Edwards-Helaire was battling a high-ankle sprain.

“He’s a tough kid, but that doesn’t look good. High-ankle sprains on running backs aren’t always the best,” Reid said. “So we’ll see how he does in his recovery, but he’s pretty tender right now.”

If Edwards-Helaire is unable to go next week, the Chiefs could choose to activate Ronald Jones to their active game-day roster for the first time all season.

Safety Juan Thornhill also was ruled out for the second half after sustaining a calf injury. Meanwhile, receiver Kadarius Toney — after receiving just one first-half target — left and didn’t return with a hamstring ailment.

Skyy-lights

The Chiefs, who were down three injured receivers for most of Sunday’s game, received a huge boost from rookie Skyy Moore, who had his best effort of 2022.

Moore had a career-high five receptions for 63 yards, which included a critical 15-yard reception on a third-and-7 late in the third quarter that helped the Chiefs extend what ended up as a touchdown drive.

Before Sunday, Moore had seven catches in the Chiefs’ first nine games — and that included just two combined in his last four contests.

Moore also fumbled twice on punt returns earlier this season, but Reid said teammates stuck with him after that.

“They could see how talented he was. Nobody looked at him cross-eyed,” Reid told reporters. “And that peer pressure is the strongest pressure in that case.”

Up next

The Chiefs play host to the reigning Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams in a Week 12 Sunday game at 3:25 p.m. Central. The game will televised on Fox.