The 2-2 New Orleans Saints traveled to Kansas City, Missouri to take on the 4-0 Chiefs in an ESPN Monday Night Football matchup inside Arrowhead Stadium. Kansas City controlled the game throughout as New Orleans lost for a third time this season, this time 26-13.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
The Saints began with possession of the football, and the offense picked up multiple first downs. Alvin Kamara’s nine-yard run on 3rd & 1 and Chris Olave’s four-yard catch after a nine-yard pickup by Jamaal Williams moved the chains to the Chiefs’ 39-yard line. The opening drive ended when Derek Carr rolled out right and threw the football into double coverage while fading away and safety Bryan Cook intercepted the pass.
Kansas City went right down the field on their first drive. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes connected with his star tight end Travis Kelce on three consecutive plays for 31 yards. A 15-yard catch by Noah Gray set up 1st & GOAL and Kareem Hunt punched it into the endzone for the five-yard touchdown run.
The next three possessions resulted in three-and-outs for 0 yards. Following the New Orleans punt, Kansas City went 52 yards in 10 plays, including a 15-yard dumpoff to Hunt on second down. Four plays later on 3rd & GOAL, Mahomes danced in the pocket and hit a spin move before making the throw to Samaje Perine, who stopped his route and watched the ball fly past him. Harrison Butker lined and knocked through a 26-yard field goal to put the Chiefs up by two scores with 12:39 left in the second quarter.
The Saints responded with a seven-play, 74-yard drive. Kamara and Rashid Shaheed made catches 10 and 15 yards to pick up first downs on 3rd & 6 and 2nd & 9. Carr then connected with Shaheed for a 43-yard touchdown to make a 10-7 game.
The Chiefs drained over seven minutes off the clock as they extended their lead late in the quarter. Alontae Taylor blew up a double reverse and forced a fumble. Xavier Worthy fell on the ball for a 14-yard loss on the play and a holding penalty set up a 2nd & 34 for Kansas City. JuJu Smith-Schuster picked up 13 yards on a screen, then Kelce executed a lateral to Perine for a total of 20 yards on the play. Hunt rushed for two yards and reset downs after going for it on 4th & 1. Kansas City settled for a 34-yard kick a few plays later to go up by six with 92 seconds remaining in the first half.
New Orleans went three-and-out for a third time and Mahomes connected with a wide-open Smith-Schuster for the 31-yard gain into Saints territory. Smith-Schuster made a couple more catches for 15 yards and Kelce ran out of bounds on a nine-yard reception to set up Butker’s third field goal.
Kansas City went into the half up 16-7 and received the ball to start the third quarter.
The Chiefs began the quarter with five-run plays which set a play-action pass to Gray for 14 yards. On 3rd & 10, Mahomes’ pass to Worthy down the sideline fell incomplete. Butker lined up for his fourth kick of the night and the 51-yard attempt bounced off the upright for the miss.
Mason Tipton’s first down catch was negated by an illegal shift on Chris Olave. The penalty set up a 3rd & 8 and Carr was sacked by Tershawn Wharton.
Kansas City threatened to score again. Paulson Adebo was called for a 46-yard pass interference penalty that set up the Chief offense at the New Orleans 15-yard line. On 2nd & GOAL, Adebo batted Mahomes’ pass into the air, and defensive tackle Khalen Saunders came down with the interception in the endzone. The Black and Gold big man returned the football 37 yards to the 35-yard line.
Shaheed made a 21-yard catch to move the offense into Chiefs territory, then on 3rd & 1, Kamara picked up four yards and a first down. Carr ended the third quarter with a 14-yard dump-off pass to Kamara to set up 1st & GOAL from the nine. Two plays later, Carr’s play-action pass to Foster Moreau was good for the six-yard touchdown. Blake Grupe’s PAT was pushed wide and kept the game a field goal difference.
Smith-Schuster broke loose for a 50-yard catch to the New Orleans 14-yard line. Carl Granderson was called for holding on a seven-yard run by Hunt and Worthy scored on a three-yard run. Kansas City held the 23-13 lead with 11:56 to go in the fourth quarter.
New Orleans went for it on 4th & 8 from Kansas City’s 42. The Chiefs sent eight players on a blitz and Carr’s pass deep went through Tipton’s hands.
The Chiefs added another 38-yard field goal with 3:03 remaining to go up 13 points.
Carr headed to the locker room after their last drive and was replaced by Jake Haener. The Saint offense couldn’t put up any points and the Chiefs drained the rest of the clock to secure the 26-13 win. The Saints dropped to 2-3 on the season.
BIG NUMBER: 80
The defense of the Saints was on the field the majority of the contest as the Chiefs ran 80 plays. New Orleans ran just 51 plays in the loss.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Patrick Mahomes
Mahomes didn’t throw a touchdown pass on Monday but recorded 331 passing yards and made the lives of Saints defenders difficult. The star QB avoided getting sacked all game and led the Chiefs to the 26-13 victory.
UP NEXT: The New Orleans Saints will return home for a divisional matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Kickoff inside of the Caesars Superdome is set for noon on Sunday, October 13th.
