Game Recap: Commanders get blown out in primetime by the Chiefs

SB Nation

The Washington Commanders entered tonight’s game as 11.5-point underdogs against the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football. They were missing QB Jayden Daniels, but got WRs Terry McLaurin and Deebo

Samuel back. The game was close until the 2nd half when the Chiefs lead went from 7- to 14-points as the half progressed. The Chiefs took over in the fourth quarter, sealing the game with a Rashee Rice touchdown to go up 28-7. Washington drops to 3-5 for the season, and returns home to prepare for a Sunday Night Football game against the Seattle Seahawks this week.

First Quarter

The Chiefs won the coin toss, and deferred. The Commanders get the ball to start the game. Luke McCaffrey took the opening kickoff to the 43-yard line for a good start to the game. Marcus Mariota opened up the game with a quick 6-yard pass to Deebo Samuel, followed up by a run for another 3 yards. Bill got the first 1st down of the game with a 3-yard run.

Deebo got the pass again on a WR screen for 5 yards. Bill picks up another two before Mariota took it himself for another 1st down. Luke McCaffrey got involved early on offense for a nice 9-yard gain on 1st down. Bill picked up the 1st down, but the next pass bounced off of Deebo Samuel’s facemask, into a Chiefs’ DE Mike Danna’s hands for the interception.

Jacob Martin sacked Patrick Mahomes on the second play of their drive to put them in 3rd and 10. Jeremy Reaves popped Mahomes as he ran for the 1st down marker, and he was just short.

The Chiefs converted on 4th down, and then had a big pass play to Xavier Worthy for 27 yards. Laremy Tunsil was shown going to the locker room, and is questionable to return with a hamstring injury. Marshon Lattimore has been having an up and down season, and he had a major up tonight, picking off Patrick Mahomes at the 7-yard line.

Brandon Coleman has been a healthy scratch for the last five games, but he’s active tonight and he’s in at LT for Laremy Tunsil. Washington has OTs Trent Scott and George Fant inactive for tonight’s game. They also have Andrew Wylie available if needed at tackle.

The Commanders started their next drive with a pair of 4-yard runs from Bill Croskey-Merritt, before Mariota hit RB Jeremy McNichols for a 26-yard gain. Luke McCaffrey kept his toes in for a big 17-yard gain. The Commanders drive ended after they failed to convert on 4th down on a Zach Ertz catch that went to the NFL’s new virtual measurement system and was ruled 5” short.

Second Quarter

The Chiefs took 5 plays to get to Washington’s 48-yard line, before a Mahomes pass bounced off Travis Kelce’s hands, and right to Bobby Wagner who got his first interception of the season.

Washington once again failed to convert a turnover into a score, and they turned the ball over after another 4th down attempt. Marcus Mariota was rushed on 4th and 1 from the Chiefs’ 28-yard line, and tossed it away, past WR Terry McLaurin.

The Chiefs next drive started slow, but a pair of passes to Travis Kelce quickly moved them deep into Washington territory. They used all three of their RBs to get to 1st and goal from the 8-yard line. Rashee Rice took it to the 1-inch line on a Wildcat direct snap. Kareem Hunt punched it in for the first score of the game.

The Commanders announced that DT Johnny Newton was questionable to return with an ankle injury, but LT Laremy Tunsil(hamstring) returned to the game. Ben Sinnott showed up in the passing game, hauling in a 22-yard catch and run. Then Mariota threw the easy lob pass to Jeremy McNichols, and he took it for 19 yards.

Then Mariota attempted this…hurdle?

Jeremy McNichols picked up another first down, taking it to the 11 yard line to keep the chains moving. Mariota hit a fade to Terry McLaurin in the endzone that was initially ruled an incomplete pass. On review, the call was overturned and Terry McLaurin scored the Commanders first touchdown of the game.

The Chiefs got the ball back with 53 seconds left on the clock. This was a big test for the defense, and they were able to hold the line, and keep Kansas City out of field goal range. Javon Kinlaw laid a hit on Patrick Mahomes, and the defense stifle their sub-minute drill.

Halftime Stats

Statistics via ESPN

Third Quarter

The Chiefs returned the kickoff to the 30 yard line, but a holding penalty took them back to the 20 yard line. Quan Martin got called for an unnecessary roughness call for a hit on TE Noah Gray after the ball had hit the ground. Mahomes went to Gray again for an 8-yard gain. Travis Kelce was wide open two plays later for a 38-yard gain. The Chiefs scored on a 4th down run from Kareem Hunt from the 2 yard line.

Washington couldn’t return the favor, rookie Jaylin Lane muffed the punt return at watched as it rolled out of bounds at the 2 yard line. Mariota had a 18-yard completion to Terry McLaurin to give them some breathing room, but they ran three more plays before punting for the first time in the game.

The Chiefs started their next drive at their 35 yard line. Mahomes hit Juju Smith-Schuster for a 24-yard gain on the first play. He completed a pass to Rashee Rice two plays later that was punched out by Darnell Savage. Marshon Lattimore couldn’t scoop it up, and Rice recovered his own fumble, continuing the Chiefs lucky streak this season. The drive ended in a 10-yard Travis Kelce touchdown reception.

The Commanders started their next drive at the 35 yard line after a touchback. Terry McLaurin made another contested catch on the sideline that was eventually ruled a catch. The drive ended on a sack of Marcus Mariota, knocking them out of field goal range, and forcing the punt.

Fourth Quarter

The Chiefs could seal the game with a score on the drive that started in the 3rd quarter. They got the ball back at their 6 yard line. Jacob Martin got his second sack of the game, but Mahomes was still able to move the ball down the field and finished another drive with a touchdown. Rashee Rice finally got in the end zone after getting stopped at the 1-yard line twice.

The Commanders got the ball at the 35-yard line as the Chiefs continue to avoid kicking to Luke McCaffrey. Rookie RT Josh Conerly was flagged for a false start on the first play of the drive. Mariota followed that with an incomplete to Jeremy McNichols, a 6-yard scramble, and then a drop from Zach Ertz. Tress Way punted to the 23 yard line and the Chiefs returned it to the 39 yard line to start their next drive.

Johnny Newton got to Mahomes on the second play of a drive, but he spun him around and tossed him down into the endzone which was immediately flagged as unnecessary roughness. Troy Aikman said you can’t do that to QBs in this league, especially this one. This put KC at the 23 yard line, and they kept the ball moving to kill the clock.

The Commanders got the ball back at the 20 yard line with 2:18 left down 28-7. Washington almost had the ball to mid-field before Marcus Mariota threw an interception to Cochrane. There was an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty followed by a kneel down to end the game.