Mahomes, Chiefs Finish Preseason With Exclamation Point

Mahomes opened the game directing an eight-play, 69-yard touchdown drive. He got a great catch from veteran JuJu Smith-Schuster for 19 yards, and completed a 12-yarder to rookie Brashard Smith to set up Isiah Pacheco’s 2-yard touchdown run.

Then, on his second series, Mahomes did something he’s vowed all offseason to rediscover, hitting a deep ball. Tyquan Thornton’s 58-yard reception set up a Harrison Butker field goal.

That deep ball did exactly what Mahomes said it would, opening underneath targets. Travis Kelce caught a pair of passes to jump start the next drive, 20- and 12-yard receptions for his first yards of the preseason, before Mahomes flashed his athleticism with an 18-yard scramble. Pacheco’s 13-yard burst then set up Rice’s touchdown catch.

A stellar body of preseason work

Including his short night in the preseason opener Aug. 9 at Arizona, where he was 1 of 1 for 1 yard with a touchdown pass, Mahomes finished the preseason 9 of 14 for 144 yards and two touchdowns. He orchestrated four total drives for 24 points, three touchdowns a field goal.

On defense

Defensively, the Chiefs responded well from a disappointing effort in last week’s loss at Seattle. After allowing 268 rushing yards to the Seahawks, the Chiefs shut down Chicago’s first-team unit. Caleb Williams and the Bears had only one first down over their first two drives – both ending in punts – and Kan sas City held the Bears to a field goal on their third series.

Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo earlier in the week vowed to right the Chiefs’ ship, and came through. Last week in Seattle, the Seahawks didn’t punt over their first seven drives . On Friday, Chris Jones and Charles Omenihu split a sack for Kansas City. The Chiefs largely shut down the Bears until the game-winning drive late in the fourth quarter.

Kansas City’s coaches and personnel staff now need to reduce their roster from 90 to 53 players by 3 p.m. CT on Tuesday.