Chiefs win AFC West for 9th straight season after game-winning field goal goes their way

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The Kansas City Chiefs are your AFC West winners for the ninth straight season, as they took down their divisional foe, the Los Angeles Chargers, on a game-winning field goal. 

The 19-17 win moved the Chiefs to 12-1 on the season, which was a big victory to not only claim the division, but create separation from the Buffalo Bills for the No. 1 seed in the AFC. Meanwhile, the Chargers are now 8-5 on the season as they continue to search for a playoff spot with four games remaining now. 

This low-scoring affair saw a long drive from Justin Herbert and the Chargers’ offense that chewed up 8:29 of fourth-quarter clock, but it resulted in a field goal to make it 17-16. 

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Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (8) celebrates after scoring against the Los Angeles Chargers during the first half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. (Denny Medley-Imagn Images)

There was more than enough time for Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs’ offense to respond, and as we’ve seen too many times to count, that’s exactly what happened at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. 

On 3rd-and-10 on the ensuing drive, Mahomes escaped Chargers pressure and found his rookie receiver Xavier Worthy for a 14-yard strike, where he came back to the ball and secured it to extend the drive. 

A Mahomes scramble and a few runs from Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt would continue to churn yards and clock, as the Chiefs got closer to the end zone for kicker Matthew Wright, who was perfect with three field goals, including a 50-yarder, made prior to stepping into the game-winner. 

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On 3rd-and-7 from the Chargers’ 20-yard line, it was imperative Los Angeles stopped the Chiefs to force the field goal and give Herbert another chance to get a game-winning drive himself. 

But Mahomes’ magic took place yet again, as he rolled outside the pocket, made a tackler miss, and flipped the ball to Travis Kelce for the first down. 

That allowed the Chiefs to run the clock down to the end of the fourth quarter, where Wright knocked the ball off the left upright from 31 yards out, but it was inside just enough to stay true for three points and the victory. 

"Doink for the division!" NBC play-by-play announcer Mike Tirico yelled from the broadcast booth.

It took a while for someone to find the end zone in this game, but it finally happened near halftime as DeAndre Hopkins caught a short pass from Mahomes and took it nine yards to make it 13-0. 

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) hands off to running back Gus Edwards (4) against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. (Denny Medley-Imagn Images)

The Chargers, who had to play without Herbert’s trusty rookie Ladd McConkey, couldn’t get going with five straight punts in the first half. 

However, they turned it around in the second half with back-to-back touchdown drives to make this one a real AFC West battle. 

First, it was the opening drive of the second half, as Herbert dissected the Chiefs’ defense over 13 plays where Gus Edwards, taking over the starting role with J.K. Dobbins injured, scored from three yards out. 

Then, after forcing a three-and-out on the Chiefs, Herbert needed just four plays to eventually find Quentin Johnston for the four-yard score to take a 14-13 lead. 

But when Mahomes and the Chiefs have the ball at the end of a close game this season, it just hasn’t worked out for the opponent. 

Mahomes was 24-for-37 for 210 yards with his one touchdown pass, while rushing for 17 yards in the win. Pacheco, who had more of a lead role as he eases back from injury. 

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) drops back to pass against the Los Angeles Chargers during the first half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. (Denny Medley-Imagn Images)

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Kelce had the most yards by a Chiefs player with 45, while Worthy finished with 41 and Hopkins with 32. 

For the Chargers, Josh Palmer had a game-high 78 yards on six receptions while tight end Stone Smartt, who saw a bigger role with Will Dissly hurt during the game, had 54 yards on three catches. Johnston finished with 48 yards on five receptions as well. 

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