EditorsNote: adds new fifth graf, fixes "Michael" in what is now 11th graf
Patrick Mahomes overcame a slow start to pass for 182 yards and one touchdown, and he added a career-high 59 yards on the ground as the Kansas City Chiefs stopped the Los Angeles Chargers 24-17 at Mexico City on Monday night.
The Chargers reached the Kansas City 14-yard line with 24 seconds remaining, thanks in large part to a 50-yard bomb a leaping Mike Williams caught from Philip Rivers to move from the Los Angeles 25 to the Kansas City 25.
On second down, however, Rivers threw his fourth interception of the game when Chiefs safety Daniel Sorensen snagged the ball in the end zone to secure the win.
The victory enabled the Chiefs (7-4) to retain a half-game lead over the Oakland Raiders in the AFC West. It marked the 24th win in the last 26 games for Kansas City against division rivals.
The Chargers (4-7) lost for the fifth time in the past seven games.
Playing without his big-play threat, Tyreek Hill, who sustained a hamstring injury on the first series, Mahomes led the Chiefs to touchdowns on their first two possessions of the second half.
That gave Kansas City a 24-9 lead, achieved with a 6-yard rush by Darrel Williams and a 23-yard strike to tight end Travis Kelce, who led Kansas City receivers with seven catches for 92 yards.
Rivers passed for 353 yards and a touchdown, but it was all undone by the four interceptions.
Melvin Gordon rushed for 69 yards on 14 carries while Austin Ekeler led the Los Angeles pass-catchers with eight receptions for 108 yards.
Los Angeles ran 20 more first-half plays and outgained Kansas City in yardage 312-109 but trailed 10-9 at halftime. A missed field goal and two interceptions hurt the Chargers, who crossed into Chiefs territory on all but one of their six first-half drives.
Chargers kicker Michael Badgley made field goals of 27, 26 and 49 yards, and he missed from 40. The 49-yarder ended the half.
With Kansas City down 6-0, Tyrann Mathieu intercepted Rivers with nine minutes left in the first half and returned it 35 yards to the Los Angeles 6. LeSean McCoy ran it in on the next play to give the Chiefs a 7-3 lead. After Badgley's second field goal, Harrison Butker tacked on a 41-yard field goal to make it 10-6 Chiefs.
Mahomes finished the half with a pedestrian 64 yards passing and one interception.
--Field Level Media
