How the Kansas City Chiefs graded out after edging Bengals in latest AFC showdown

What is it about Chiefs-Bengals games?

For the past four years they’ve been nail-biters, and Sunday’s was no different: Kansas City prevailed 26-25 on Harrison Butker’s 51-yard field goal on the final play at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

As is customary when these teams meet, the game was close throughout. The Chiefs’ winning march was extended by a fourth-down pass interference penalty against the Bengals.

Here’s our report card and star of the game:

KC STAR OF THE GAME

Chiefs safety Chamarri Conner not only scored his first NFL touchdown on a scoop-and-score, he came up with a huge sack of Joe Burrow on the Bengals’ final possession to get the ball back to the Chiefs.

Next: The Chiefs hit the road for the first time this season, visiting the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday Night Football. The game will kick off at 7:20 p.m. Central Time, broadcast on NBC (Channel 41).

REPORT CARD

Passing offense: D

For the second straight week, star QB Patrick Mahomes threw an interception while trying to force a pass to TE Travis Kelce. Mahomes never saw Cincy LB Akeem Davis-Gaither, and his pick set up a short-field touchdown drive by the Bengals.

The second interception was just as painful. Cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt ran his mouth about defending WR Xavier Worthy and — after earlier getting beat on a Mahomes-to-Rashee Rice TD pass — Taylor-Britt backed it up with a one-handed interception on the final play of the third quarter.

Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson personally wrecked the Chiefs’ final possession of the first half, when he twice blew past rookie LT Kingsley Suamataia to force a short throw and then a sack. Suamataia continued to experience growing pains, picking up a pair of holding penalties in the second half. The second wiped out a huge gain.

Wayna Morris, who caught a touchdown pass in the third quarter, replaced Suamataia at left tackle on the game’s final few offensive plays. But even Morris couldn’t avoid a big penalty, as he was called for hands to the face against Hendrickson on the final drive.

Mahomes’ 44-yard touchdown pass to Rice along the sideline was perfectly executed and the type of deep ball that was largely unavailable to the Chiefs last season.

The 1-yard scoring pass to Morris was the second time Mahomes has tossed a touchdown pass to an offensive lineman in the regular season. Eric Fisher caught a 2-yard scoring pass against the Baltimore Ravens in 2020.

In the 2021 playoffs, guard Nick Allegretti caught a 2-yard touchdown pass from Mahomes.

Rushing offense: B

The Patriots’ Rhamondre Stevenson rushed for 120 against the Bengals last week and the Chiefs tried to follow that lead. Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco finished with 90 hard-earned yards on 19 carries (plus another 21 on receptions).

After a solid start, rookie FB Carson Steele lost a fumble for the Chiefs’ second turnover of the first half. The Bengals turned those mistakes into 10 points.

Passing defense: B

The first defensive touchdown of the year came at great time: The Chiefs answered a turnover by forcing one of their own. Mike Danna and Tershawn Wharton teamed for a sack and Danna jarred the ball loose from Bengals QB Joe Burrow. Chiefs DB Charmarri Conner was in the right place for a 38-yard scoop and score that gave the Chiefs a 23-22 lead.

The Bengals got what they wanted over the middle in the first half, especially with their tight ends. Mike Gesicki was especially effective. Wrist injury for Burrow? If so, he didn’t show it. Something about the Chiefs brings out the best in him, and he didn’t even have one of his primary weapons: WR Tee Higgins was out with the hamstring injury.

Rushing defense: C

The Bengals led with Zack Moss, but fellow RB Chase Brown was more impactful, averaging 7.8 yards per carry. Neither packed the punch of former Bengals back Joe Mixon, though (he’s now with Houston).

Special teams: A

What else can be said of Butker? He knew his game-winning field goal was good as soon as he booted it.

For the first time this season, the Chiefs didn’t kick deep into the end zone for a touchback. After a Butker field goal to open the scoring, he kicked short and Charmarri Conner tackled Trayveon Williams at the 24.

Butker nearly attempted a 68-yard field goal. With 24 seconds remaining in the first half, the Chiefs faced a fourth down from midfield. Butker trotted onto the field, ostensibly to try what would have been the longest field goal in NFL history.

But after a timeout, Andy Reid decided to punt instead. Speaking of punts, P Matt Araiza boomed a 63-yarder in the fourth quarter, his best in two games