Spencer Shrader’s 31-yard field goal on the game’s final play allowed the Chiefs to claim a 30-27 victory over the Carolina Panthers and avoid a major upset.

The Chiefs improved to an NFL-best 10-1 Sunday on the road, but it wasn’t easy as the Panthers, who fell to 3-8, kept up with the two-time defending Super Bowl champions throughout the day.

They did it behind the play of second-year quarterback Bryce Young and tied the game with 1 minute, 35 seconds remaining.

Here’s our post-game report card and KC Star of the game (plus a look ahead to what’s next for KC):

KC STAR OF THE GAME

Patrick Mahomes turned in his cleanest passing game of the season with three touchdown throws, no interceptions and 269 yards. He’s picked up the touchdown-pass pace lately with three scores in three of his past four games.

But it was his 32-yard scramble after the Panthers had tied the game that put the Chiefs in the position to avoid the upset.

Next: The Chiefs will meet the Las Vegas Raiders on Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. The game, on Prime Video, will be broadcast on KSHB, Channel 41 in Kansas City, and will kick off at 2 p.m.

REPORT CARD

Passing offense: B

Noah Gray delivered his second straight game with two touchdown receptions. Wide open on the first one, covered on the second, Gray has scored his four TDs this season over a five-quarter stretch.

On his third touchdown pass, Mahomes bought time with a scramble and found DeAndre Hopkins alone in the back of the end zone. A handful of drops kept Mahomes’ passer rating for this game from being higher than 120.2.

Offensive line penalties slowed a couple of Chiefs drives, and Mahomes was sacked five times. This is why the Chiefs signed C.J. Humphries, the former Pro Bowler from the Arizona Cardinals.

Rushing offense: B

Good stuff on first-down snaps for the Chiefs. Kareem Hunt often picked up 4 or 5 yards in such situations Sunday.

Mahomes gained a key first down on a 13-yard scramble to keep alive the 93-yard touchdown drive late in the second quarter, KC’s longest of the season.

Hunt finished with 68 yards, but the Chiefs would’ve breathed easier if they’d been able to run out the clock late and avoid Sunday’s last-second dramatics..

Passing defense: F

Pass-interference penalties in the end zone by Chamarri Conner and Trent McDuffie led to the Panthers’ touchdown and two-point conversion that tied the game with 1:46 remaining.

That was an awful stretch for the Chiefs.

Their lack of pressure was a disturbing trend throughout the game. The Chiefs only seemed to bother Bryce Young when they blitzed, and even several of those occasions proved ineffective.

The Chiefs’ only sack of the first half, by Mike Danna, became the only possession on which the Panthers punted in the first half. But the Chiefs stiffened with their backs to the goal line. Three times Carolina reached the red zone in the first half ... and three times they settled for field goals as the Chiefs took a 20-9 lead at the break.

Young didn’t slow down after halftime. Guiding an offense that entered the game ranked last in total yards and 30th in points, he enabled the Panthers to keep up with Mahomes and the Chiefs. He was terrific at getting the ball out of his hands just before contact arrived.

The Panthers scored on five of their first seven possessions. All due credit to Young, who played a wonderful game (not to mention one that should put to rest any questions about his abilities as an NFL-caliber starter).

Rushing defense: C

Young scrambled his way out of sacks, but otherwise the Panthers didn’t do much against the Chiefs’ defensive front and linebackers.

Chuba Hubbard, a workhorse in the Panthers’ victory over the Giants two weeks ago with 153 yards, finished with 58 in this one.

Special teams: A

Good things happened the first time the Chiefs touched the ball. Samaje Perine took the opening kickoff 56 yards, setting up KC’s first touchdown.

In his second game with the Chiefs since replacing (for now) the injured Harrison Butker, placekicker Shrader drilled three field goals, including a 41-yarder. And now he has a game-winner on his resume — until Sunday, he’d never kicked one in college or the NFL.