Chargers sweep Chiefs, eliminating them from playoff contention
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — What they started in balmy Brazil, the Chargers finished on a bitter cold day at Arrowhead Stadium.
They completed a season sweep of Kansas City with a 16-13 victory, solidifying their own playoff chances while driving a stake through the postseason hopes of their AFC West rival.
The Chiefs, who hadn’t missed the playoffs since 2014, officially were eliminated from playoff contention with the loss.
The come-from-behind victory gave the Chargers their 10th win with three games to go and kept alive their designs on winning a division currently led by the Denver Broncos.
Cameron Dicker kicked two of his three field goals after halftime to bring back the Chargers, who were facing a 13-3 deficit in the second quarter before scoring 13 unanswered points.
Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes sustained an apparent leg injury late in the game and had to be helped to the locker room. He was replaced by Gardner Minshew, who was intercepted by Derwin James Jr. to end the game.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes grabs his left leg after sustaining an injury in the fourth quarter.
(Reed Hoffmann / Associated Press)
With a temperature of 15 degrees at kickoff, this was the third-coldest game in Chargers history, although their defense looked at home in the frigid weather. Tuli Tuipulotu and Odafe Oweh each collected two sacks of Mahomes, and linebacker Daiyan Henley had a pivotal fourth-quarter interception of the Chiefs quarterback near the goal line.
Chargers safety Tony Jefferson was ejected in the fourth quarter after a helmet-to-helmet hit on Tyquan Thornton that knocked the Chiefs receiver out of the game. Earlier in the second half, Jefferson flattened Rashee Rice with another huge hit.
It marked just the second time in 13 years the Chargers beat the Chiefs (6-8) twice in the same season.