Kansas City Chiefs

Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs turn corner in big win against Philadelphia Eagles

Updated Oct. 3, 2021 9:23 p.m. ET

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Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs steered clear of a third straight loss, drumming the Philadelphia Eagles 42-30 to get back to 2-2 on the season Sunday. 

Defense was optional in this contest, as both offenses moved fairly at will for most of the afternoon.

However, Kansas City's defense buckled down when it became more imperative, limiting the host Eagles to three touchdowns in six trips to the red zone. Conversely, the Chiefs went a perfect 5-for-5 when they made it into the red zone.

The story was similar from a third-down efficiency standpoint. Kansas City went 9-for-10 on third down and held the Eagles to 6-for-12. 

Mahomes & Co. didn't have nearly as much success converting on third down in their back-to-back losses: a 36-35 nail-biter in Week 2 against the Baltimore Ravens and a 30-24 loss against the Los Angeles Chargers a week ago.

In those two losses, the Chiefs went a combined 7-for-16 on third down.

Offensively, Mahomes was his usual MVP-level self Sunday. He wrapped up the day 24-for-30 for 278 yards, five touchdowns and one interception, connecting with Tyreek Hill twice in the fourth quarter to put an exclamation point on the game.

Hill shredded Philly's secondary, catching 11 passes for 186 yards and three touchdowns, offsetting a relatively quiet day from superstar tight end Travis Kelce, who was limited to four catches for 23 yards.

Running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire also added to the optimism for the Chiefs, cracking the 100-yard rushing mark for the second consecutive week with 102 yards on the ground against the Eagles. He also chipped in with two catches for 12 yards and a touchdown.

With the way Kansas City's offense was moving the ball, punter Tommy Townsend basically had the day off — aside from duties as a holder.

Neither team punted in the game, marking only the fourth time in NFL history that has happened in the regular season.

For the Chiefs, the win served as a nice tonic for back-to-back weeks of disappointment.

Sure, the maligned defense could be better, but that might be something Andy Reid will have to live with this season.

If the D can maintain a bend-but-don't-break attitude and Mahomes can keep putting together games in which he has nearly as many touchdown passes as incompletions — five TD passes vs. six incompletions against Philadelphia — the Chiefs could be back in business.

Nobody was writing off the team entirely after a slow start to the season, but doubts about Kansas City's Super Bowl credentials were coming into question. Starting 1-3 would have only amplified those concerns, but the Chiefs put that notion in the rear-view mirror with triumph in Philly.

With the red-hot Buffalo Bills — who blasted the Houston Texans 40-0 on Sunday — up next, the Chiefs will get a much better litmus test of whether they've fully turned the corner from a 1-2 start.

Beating Philadelphia is an indication. Beating Buffalo would be confirmation. 

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National Football League

Kansas City Chiefs

Patrick Mahomes

Tyreek Hill

Clyde Edwards-Helaire

Philadelphia Eagles