By Tim Peterson
(Inglewood) – Harrison Butker booted a 58- yard field goal in overtime to give the Kansas City Chiefs a 23-20 win over the Chargers to ruin LA’s debut at SoFi Stadium Sunday.
The kick was the second 58- yard field goal of the game for Butker.
The Chargers got a surprise right before the game started when they found out Tyrod Taylor was out with a chest injury and rookie Justin Herbert was rushed into action.
“I found out Tyrod was out right after the coin flip,” said Chargers Head Coach Anthony Lynn.
Herbert seemed up to the task however as the Chargers marched right down the field on their opening drive going 79 yards on 8 plays. Herbert capped the drive with a 4-yard run.
After 3 punts in the first quarter the Chiefs got on the board in the second quarter as Patrick Mahomes hit Travis Kelce on a 10-yard touchdown pass. Butker’s extra point was blocked after a holding penalty on Kansas City.
Late in the second quarter the Chargers put together an 11-play. 71-yard drive with Herbert hitting Jaylen Guyton on 14-yard touchdown strike to make it 14-6. It turned out to be Guyton’s only catch of the day. The Chargers took that lead into halftime.
The two teams traded field goals in the third quarter. Michael Badgley booted a 41 yarder for the Chargers with 8:07 left to make it 17-6. Butker kicked one through the uprights from 58 yards out with 3:11 left to cut the deficit to eight again. Butker tied Nick Lowery for the franchise record for distance with the 58-yarder.
With pressure coming Mahomes unleashed a bomb that Tyrek Hill ran under for a 54-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter and then Mahomes found Mecole Hardman in the end zone for the two point conversion to tie it at 17.
The Chargers countered by chewing up over ten minutes off the clock but only came away with a 23-yard Badgley field goal with 2:27 left to make it 20-17.
Mahomes, with plenty of time to work with, responded by leading the Chiefs down to the Charger 13 yard line where Butker hit a 30-yard field goal as the clock hit zeroes to send it into overtime.
The Chargers stalled on their first possession in overtime. The Chiefs took advantage as Butker booted his second 58 yard field goal for the game winner.
Mahomes finished the day with 47 attempts completing 27 of them for 302 yards and two touchdowns. Hill had 5 catches for 90 yards and the score and Kelce caught 9 passes for 90 yards and a touchdown.
For the Chargers, Herbert in his NFL debut, was 22 of 33 for 311 yards and a touchdown. he also threw a costly interception that led to the Chiefs game tying score. Keenan Allen had 7 receptions for 96 yards and tight end Hunter Henry caught 6 balls for 83 yards.
Austin Ekeler led the rushing attack with 93 yards on 16 carries and Joshua Kelley, the rookie from UCLA, ran for 64 yards 23 carries.
The Chargers fell to 1-1 with the loss while the Chiefs improved to 2-0
KC 0 6 3 8 3 23
LA 7 7 3 3 0 20
QB opened the wrong way
Who missed the hand off when the Bolts were inside the 5yd line and could have wrapped it up in regulation? Was it the QB or the RB?