How Travis Kelce helped the Chiefs take complete control against New York (Getty Images)
Travis Kelce’s goal-line score turned the game for Kansas City
Harrison Butker had missed from 56 and 51 yards on back-to-back tries to close the half, and the Jets were still within a score. Travis Kelce took a fourth-and-goal flip from Patrick Mahomes at the 1-yard line and powered in. Kansas City won the second half 21-0 and finished with a 35-12 victory at Arrowhead on Sunday. The score made it 20-12, the biggest lead either team had held all day, and Butker’s extra point pushed it to 21-12. Walker touched the ball five times on one possession, with runs of 11, 8 and 12 yards. The Chiefs converted 5 of 8 tries on third or fourth down with 3 yards or fewer to go, and Kelce’s score and a late touchdown by Emmett Johnson were part of that. Walker finished with 143 yards and three scores, two of them catches from Mahomes, after two straight games under 100 yards.
Kansas City led by two at halftime and had just heard a stadium full of boos. Then the Chiefs got the ball to start the third quarter and went to work. New York never got closer. Patrick Mahomes looked ready to sneak it. Instead he flipped the ball to Kelce, who bulled across the line behind blocks from tight ends Jake Briningstool and Noah Gray and receiver Jalen Royals. The drive was built on Kenneth Walker. Andy Reid had given him five carries in the whole first half. Out of the break, Reid fixed that. It did. All four trips inside the red zone ended in touchdowns.
The Jets gained negative 9 yards in the third quarter, according to Athlon Sports, and they ran for just 7 yards after halftime. They led 6-0 early and 9-7 in the second quarter. Their points came from four Jason Sanders field goals, from 23, 48, 49 and 54 yards. The first came after an eight-minute opening drive that stalled at the Kansas City 5. Kansas City is 6-2 and visits Atlanta next Sunday, but two loose ends remain.
Reid told CBS at the break he wanted to see a field goal go through in the second half. New York had nothing left. They never reached the end zone all day. Butker did not attempt another one, so the kicker question is still open. The other is receiver. Xavier Worthy left late with a lower-body injury, and the trade deadline arrives Tuesday.