The two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs pulled away for a 26-13 victory over the New Orleans Saints on Monday at GEHE Field at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs improved to 5-0 and the Saints dropped to 2-3 after suffering their third consecutive loss.
The Saints got back into the game in the third quarter thanks to an end zone interception by defensive tackle Khalen Saunders. The former Chief returned it 36 yards and quarterback Derek Carr led the Saints to their second touchdown, a 6-yard pass to tight end Foster Moreau that made it 16-13 at the start of the fourth quarter.
But quarterback Patrick Mahomes quickly led the Chiefs on a scoring drive to make it 23-13. The Saints marched back into Chiefs territory on the next possession but Carr's fourth down attempt to rookie receiver Mason Tipton fell incomplete. Carr, who was 18 of 28 for 165 yards with two touchdowns and an interception on the game's first possession, took a big hit on the play and had to leave the game with an oblique injury. Prior to exiting, Carr moved past 40,000 yards passing and his touchdown to Moreau was the 250th of his career.
Second-year quarterback Jake Haener played the final possession.
Saints Offense Struggles
With the Saints using a makeshift offensive line, running back Alvin Kamara could only manage 26 yards on 11 carries. Receiver Rashid Shaheed had a big night with four catches for 86 yards including a 43-yard touchdown catch in the first half.
Rashid Shaheed's 43-Yard Touchdown
Shaheed's touchdown catch in the first half kept the Saints close. The former UCLA star showed off his speed and athleticism, making a difficult catch on a deep pass from Derek Carr.
Chiefs Dominate Time of Possession
Mahomes was 28 of 39 for 331 yards and one interception. Defensive end Chase Young and defensive tackle Bryan Bresee had the Saints' sacks. The Chiefs, who dominated time of possession, amassed more than 400 yards of offense but were forced to kick four field goals. Running back Kareem Hunt had 102 yards on 27 carries and tight end Travis Kelce had nine catches for 70 yards.
Saints Injury Report
The Saints lost safety Will Harris to a hamstring injury in the first half and center Lucas Patrick, playing in place of starter Erik McCoy, left in the second half with a collarbone injury but returned.
Looking Ahead for the Saints
The Saints will host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-2) on Sunday at the Caesars Superdome. With the Saints struggling to get their offense going, they will need to find a way to generate more points if they want to win this game.
The loss to the Chiefs is a tough one for the Saints, who are now in danger of falling behind in the NFC South race. But with a tough schedule ahead, the Saints need to focus on getting healthy and getting their offense back on track.
They'll need to do so quickly, with a divisional matchup against the Buccaneers next week, followed by the Los Angeles Rams and the Dallas Cowboys. If they're to have any hope of making a run at the playoffs, they'll need to turn things around immediately.
