Kansas City Chiefs Take Share Of First Place With Win Over Seattle Seahawks
By Ben Nielsen
Hey, remember that time the Kansas City Chiefs lost to the Tennessee Titans and a bunch of key players got hurt and we all thought the season was over?
Whoopsadoodle.
Five-straight wins and seven wins in their last eight games have vaulted the Chiefs right back up to the top of the AFC West standings after defeating the Seattle Seahawks, 24-20, on Sunday afternoon.
Jamaal Charles rushed for 159 yards and two touchdowns and the Chiefs defense held the Seahawks to 0-for-3 on key fourth downs to preserve the victory.
Kansas City has now gone ten games without giving up a rushing touchdown or a 300-yard passing day. Marshawn Lynch rushed for 124 yards but no touchdowns, while Russell Wilson threw for 178 yards and two touchdowns. Wilson also added 71 yards on the ground.
In some ways, this game wasn’t as close as the score would indicate. Seattle could not stop the Jamaal Charles train, and Andy Reid had a gameplan the Seahawks just couldn’t crack. But two fumbles – one from Charles and one from Travis Kelce – opened the door for 10 of Seattle’s 20 points. Those points forced the Chiefs defense to step up and make some big plays. Dontari Poe was up for the task.
The Seahawks fourth and one on the Chiefs’ 45 with a little over three minutes and 30 seconds left in the game. Seattle chose to hand the ball to the best power back in football, Lynch, who had rushed for over 120 yards at that point in the game. Instead of Lynch extending the drive, Allen Bailey and Dontari Poe had other ideas.
Poe and Bailey burst through the line to stop Lynch, forcing a turnover on downs.
Seattle would get one more crack at a comeback win but a great punt from Colquitt, tremendous pass rush from Poe, and good coverage from Sean Smith ended the Seahawks last gasp attempt.
Kansas City now travels to Oakland where they’ll play the Raiders on Thursday night. A victory there and the Chiefs and Broncos will likely meet two weeks from now both 8-3 and playing for sole possession of first place in the AFC West.
Yeah, this is a way better feeling than the one after the Tennessee game.