Chiefs Fall Short of Uphill Battle Against Chargers

Second-year wide receiver Xavier Worthy collided with tight end Travis Kelce, injuring his shoulder. He immediately went to the sideline and was quickly followed by a trip to the locker room. Amid concerns about Worthy's status for the remainder of the game, the Chargers mounted a seven-play touchdown drive, taking an early lead. 7-0 Chargers.

The Chiefs' drive following the Chargers' scoring went for six plays, but they were only able to gain 23 yards. Punting the ball away, Matt Araiza had the football land at the two-yard line in Los Angeles territory.

Final 5 Minutes of 1st Quarter

Trying to get the offense going, quarterback Patrick Mahomes targeted preseason standout Tyquan Thornton for a deep pass on third and long, but once more, the Chiefs had to punt the ball away.

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert was efficient with the football in his hands in the first quarter of the game, collecting 118 passing yards in seven completions. The first quarter ended with the score remaining the same. 7-0 Chargers.

2nd Quarter

The Chargers started the second quarter by adding to their lead, as kicker Cameron Dicker drained a 39-yard field goal attempt to push the lead to 10-0 Chargers. The Chiefs went into the start of the second with some catching up to do, and Mahomes and company weren't going to shy away from the challenge.

The Chiefs got on the board for the first time in the 2025 campaign, but it didn't come in the form of a touchdown. Regardless of putting together a 16-play spanning nearly nine minutes, all the Chiefs came away with was a field goal. 10-3 Chargers.

Final 5 Minutes of 2nd Quarter

Herbert and the Chargers looked to pad their lead even further before halftime, but the Chiefs' defense started to come into its own. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and company were slow out of the gates, but reminded the world why the Chiefs were able to stay in so many close games last season.

The Chiefs' defense held the Chargers to a field goal with less than one minute left before halftime. Mahomes and the offense won't have the ball to start the second half, making their final drive of the first half a big one in hopes of chopping down a now 13-3 Chargers lead.

Mahomes connected with Thornton for a 38-yard pass. Jawaan Taylor and rookie Josh Simmons, on back-to-back penalties, pushed the Chiefs back before Mahomes found tight end Noah Gray for a gain of three.

With the clock ticking down to the final seconds of the first half, kicker Harrison Butker drilled a 59-yard field goal to get the Chiefs three more points going into halftime. 13-6 Chargers.

3rd Quarter

The Chargers started with the football to begin the second half, but Kansas City quickly forced them to punt the ball away. The Chiefs put together a strong drive, ending in a Mahomes touchdown. With the chance of tying the game up, Butker missed the field goal. With 8:05 remaining on the clock, the Chiefs close the game, making it 13-12 Chargers.

Final 5 Minutes of 3rd Quarter

After the Chiefs shaved nearly six minutes off the clock on the touchdown drive, the Chargers went to work trying to respond. Flirting with a touchdown pass to wide receiver Quentin Johnston, Hebert found Keenan Allen for a touchdown. With a successful field goal kick, the Chargers push the lead to 20-13.

Going into the fourth quarter, the Chiefs would need to have some flawless offensive play to have a chance to win this game.

4th Quarter

The lights got bright in the fourth quarter, with the Chiefs trailing, but when the lights are at their brightest, Mahomes rises to the occasion. Keeping the drive alive with some Mahomes Magic, the two-time MVP found Travis Kelce for a touchdown pass to get the Chiefs close again.

The Chiefs went for two but were unsuccessful, which brought the score to 20-18 Chargers with just over 12 minutes left on the clock. But as the Chargers did all game long, they pushed their lead further on another touchdown. 27-18 Chargers.

Final 5 Minutes

In an important drive within the final five minutes, Mahomes found wide receiver Hollywood Brown for a 49-yard reception, giving them a chance to close the gap. Butker got brought in to kick a field goal to bring the score to 27-21, Chargers.

With a last rush by Herbert, the game finished with the Chiefs dropping their season opener.

Final: Chargers 27, Chiefs 21.