A Mahomes-ian effort pays off in Chiefs’ overtime victory. Here’s the report card

It wasn’t easy, but the Chiefs outlasted the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 30-24 in overtime on Monday Night Football to improve to an NFL best 8-0. Andy Reid ran his record after a bye week to an incredible 23-4.

KC STAR OF THE GAME

DeAndre Hopkins got his first Chiefs touchdown with an easy 1-yard reception in the back of the end zone. The tougher catch was his 35-yarder between a pair of defenders that got the Chiefs to the shadow of the goal line. According to NextGen Stats the play had a success possibility of 12.3 percent. The “Remember The Titans” celebration from the former Tennessee Titan was a chef’s kiss.

Hopkins later had a 5-yard slant in the fourth quarter. Fantastic night for Hopkins’ second game as a Chief.

Next: The Chiefs return to AFC West action in Week 10 when they play host to the Denver Broncos. Kickoff at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium at noon. The game will be broadcast on CBS.

REPORT CARD

Passing offense: A

The Chiefs looked to take advantage of the Bucs’ poor pass defense, and Mahomes put up his best quarterback rating of the season, completing 34 of 44 for 291 yards and a season-high three touchdowns. He was 5 for 5 on the Chiefs’ game-winning touchdown drive.

Cheers turned to silence after the Mahomes touchdown pass to Samaje Perine, a Mahomes flip effort. Mahomes appeared to have injured his left ankle, and started off the field with a shoulder escort. But he finished the walk on his own, and was soon jogging on the sideline. No snap was missed, and Mahomes led the Chiefs on a 78-yard, 8:26 drive for the go-ahead touchdown on the next possession.

But oh, did the Chiefs miss one early. Mahomes got the look he wanted and Xavier Worthy broke free down the sideline. But Worthy couldn’t keep his feet inbounds when the ball arrived near the goal line. Mahomes was sacked on the next play and the Chiefs punted.

Another tough moment: Travis Kelce finished with a season-best 14 receptions for 100 yards, but he had a lost fumble in the second quarter.

The Bucs sacked Mahomes four times, twice by Vita Vea and by Calijah Kancey, the most by a defense this season.

Rushing offense: A

Kareem Hunt powered behind his offensive line and scored the game-winner from the 2 in OT. It took a while to get going, but Hunt and the offensive line made things happen in the the second half. Hunt ripped off his longest run of the season, 15 yards, on a drive that spanned the third and fourth quarters. Hunt had 47 yards on the possession. Hunt finished with 106 yards on 27 carries.

Another rookie mistake by Worthy slowed a Chiefs drive. He took an end-around pitch, failed to get around a defensive lineman and was dropped for a 10-yard loss.

Passing defense: C

The Bucs were down top wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, but tight end Cade Otton proved tough to handle with eight receptions and a touchdown. At the end of regulation, the Chiefs couldn’t stop quarterback Baker Mayfield, who took the Bucs 71 yards in less than two minutes for the game-tying score.

Safety Justin Reid will be mad at himself for dropping an interception in the first quarter.

Rushing defense: C

Rachaad White, the Kansas City native, celebrated his first game at Arrowhead with the Buccaneers’ first touchdown, going untouched from 7 yards. A 19-yard reverse by Sterling Shepard on third down kept the drive alive.

Special teams: C

Mecole Hardman had a 33-yard punt return but injured his right shoulder. He was announced as questionable. But he returned to the game in the second quarter.

The Chiefs got burned on the second-half kickoff return. Harrison Butker kicked it to the landing zone, and the Bucs returned it to midfield, setting up a short-field touchdown drive.