National Football League

Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs doomed by turnovers in loss to Los Angeles Chargers

Updated Sep. 27, 2021 12:07 p.m. ET

Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs are in unfamiliar territory.

After falling 30-24 against Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers, the Chiefs have dropped below .500 for the first time with the 2018 NFL MVP under center.

Credit second-year QB Herbert and the Chargers' offense, but it was an opportunistic L.A. defense, and a sloppy K.C. offense, that dictated the game. Turnovers — four of them, to be exact — highlighted the shortcomings for the Chiefs, and the first half was a series of nightmares for Mahomes and Kansas City's offense.

Mahomes, who threw the first September interception of his career a week ago, had another on Kansas City's first drive of the game.

The turnover spoiled an otherwise progressive drive, which had gone for 10 plays and 63 yards until Mahomes' pass caromed off the hands of his intended target and was plucked out of the sky by a diving Asante Samuel Jr.

On Kansas City's next drive, Tyreek Hill fumbled the ball after another tremendous play from a Chargers cornerback, this time Tevaughn Campbell.

The Chargers converted that turnover into points, as Herbert found Keenan Allen for a four-yard score. L.A. missed the extra point but took a 6-0 lead into the second quarter.

For the Chiefs, that period went about as well as the first did. Clyde Edwards-Helaire coughed up the ball on another forced fumble by Campbell, and the Chargers capitalized with another touchdown drive ⁠— and successful two-point conversion ⁠— to make it 14-0.

At the time, that fumble by the Chiefs ⁠— their third turnover of the first half ⁠— gave them four giveaways in their previous four possessions, dating back to their Week 2 loss against the Baltimore Ravens.

Down 14 points, Mahomes was visibly amped up, and cameras spotted him on the sideline trying to rally his team.

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It seemed to work, to a degree, as Kansas City booted a 34-yard field goal to put some points on the board ahead of halftime.

Coming out of the break, the Chiefs looked much more like the team many tabbed to return to the Super Bowl come February.

Mahomes orchestrated a 12-play, 70-yard drive, going 5-for-7 for 43 yards and finding Jody Fortson to make it 14-10 in favor of the Chargers.

After forcing another punt out of the Chargers, the Chiefs took their first lead of the game on a redemptive effort from Edwards-Helaire.

However, the Chargers answered back with a TD of their own to make it 21-17 heading into the fourth quarter. The lead changed hands yet again early in the fourth, as Mahomes registered his third TD pass of the game with a dish to Mecole Hardman for a 24-21 edge.

The Chargers knotted up the game on the subsequent possession with a short field goal, leaving the Chiefs two minutes and change to put together a winning drive.

That's when things really got wonky.

On Kansas City's third play of the drive, Mahomes chucked up a prayer intended for Travis Kelce on third-and-8, but Chargers safety Alohi Gilman stepped in for a critical interception.

As was the script for much of the game, the Chargers seized the opportunity to tack on points off of the giveaway.

It didn't come without a fair amount of drama, though.

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Herbert drove the Chargers to the edge of field-goal range, but L.A. head coach Brandon Staley opted to leave his offense on the field on fourth-and-4 from the Kansas City 30-yard line.

A false start pushed the Chargers back to fourth-and-9, but the Bolts still rolled the dice in an attempt to convert. It looked like the Chiefs made a critical stop, but a defensive pass interference call gave the Chargers a fresh set of downs.

Shortly after, Herbert tossed his fourth TD of the game, giving L.A. a 30-24 lead after the extra point attempt was missed.

With 32 seconds, one timeout and Mahomes under center, the Chiefs still had a shot to steal a victory.

Ultimately, it didn't come to pass. Mahomes' Hail Mary attempt fell incomplete, and the Chargers locked down a massive 30-24 win.

As it stands, the 1-2 Chiefs sit last in the AFC West after Sunday's early slate of games. They will remain there regardless of what happens through the rest of Week 3, as the Chargers, Denver Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders all have at least two wins already.

The waters are uncharted for Mahomes & Co.

Time to see how they navigate them in the weeks ahead.

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