Mahomes Sharp but Bears Rally Past Chiefs 29-27/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs’ first-team offense looked dominant early, scoring on all three of their drives. But backup quarterback Tyson Bagent led a late rally as the Chicago Bears pulled out a 29-27 preseason win. The game sets the stage for both teams’ regular season openers in September.
Chiefs-Bears Preseason Finale: Quick Looks
- Mahomes’ Performance: 8 of 13 for 143 yards, 1 TD
- Early Chiefs Lead: Kansas City up 20-3 before resting starters
- Key Plays: Rashee Rice touchdown catch, Isiah Pacheco rushing TD
- Bears’ First Half: Caleb Williams throws TD to Rome Odunze, finishes 11/15
- Bagent’s Rally: 20 of 28 for 212 yards, 3 TDs, game-winner with 3 seconds left
- Chiefs’ Concerns: Kareem Hunt dropped wide-open TD, depth questions remain
- Bears’ Issues: Slow start, kicking woes, injuries piling up
- Notable Absences: Marquise Brown, Jaylen Royals, and Nazeeh Johnson out for Chiefs
- Bears Injuries: DE Austin Booker (knee), LB Noah Sewell briefly shaken up
- Next Games: Chiefs face Chargers in Brazil Sept. 5, Bears host Vikings Sept. 8
Deep Look: Bears Rally Late to Beat Chiefs Despite Mahomes’ Hot Start
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — For a little more than a quarter Friday night, Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs looked every bit like reigning AFC champions ready for another Super Bowl run. By the end, it was Tyson Bagent and the Chicago Bears celebrating a preseason comeback victory.
Mahomes carved up Chicago’s defense on all three of his drives, completing 8 of 13 passes for 143 yards and a touchdown. He nearly had a second scoring strike, but Kareem Hunt dropped a wide-open ball in the end zone. Still, with Isiah Pacheco punching in a rushing touchdown and Rashee Rice hauling in a scoring pass, Kansas City stormed out to a 20-3 lead before coach Andy Reid pulled most of his starters.
“I was super excited to get out there, especially at Arrowhead and get real reps,” Mahomes said. “It shows all the hard work we put in during training camp has paid off. It’s a step in the right direction.”
Kansas City will open its season in two weeks against the Chargers in São Paulo, Brazil.
Chiefs Sharpen Up After Shaky Preseason Start
The Chiefs had dropped their first two preseason games against Arizona and Seattle, struggling badly at the line of scrimmage. Against Chicago, the starters set the tone early.
“We need to finish the game better than we did,” Reid admitted, “but I thought the ones on both sides of the ball did well. Special teams was good throughout the night. It was a good start all the way around.”
Bears Battle Back
Chicago entered Arrowhead coming off a 38-0 rout of Buffalo, but they opened sluggishly. Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams and the offense went three-and-out on their first two possessions. Williams eventually settled in, hitting rookie receiver Rome Odunze with a touchdown late in the second quarter to cut Kansas City’s lead to 20-10 at halftime.
Williams finished 11 of 15 for 113 yards and the score before giving way to the backups.
“It was disappointing to see how slow we started,” coach Ben Johnson said. “We couldn’t stop them in the red zone, and offensively the first two possessions were really sloppy.”
Bagent Steals the Spotlight
That’s when Bagent, who signed a two-year, $10 million deal earlier this week, took over. The former undrafted quarterback from Division II Shepherd University completed 20 of 28 passes for 212 yards and three touchdowns. His poise culminated in a go-ahead strike to Jahdae Walker with just three seconds left, sealing Chicago’s 29-27 win.
The Bears’ running game remained limited due to injuries in the backfield, forcing DeAndre Swift to carry much of the load. He finished with seven rushes for 28 yards.
Special Teams and Miscues
Chicago’s kicking game added to the drama. Cairo Santos missed a 47-yard field goal attempt in the first half and later had an extra point blocked. Meanwhile, an unusual delay occurred in the third quarter when referee Craig Wrolstad attempted to use virtual technology to measure a close fourth-down spot, only to discover the system was down. Old-fashioned chains determined the Bears came up short.
Injury Notes
Chicago suffered a setback when defensive end Austin Booker injured his knee; Johnson said he will be out “a few weeks.” Linebacker Noah Sewell briefly exited after a hard hit but returned later.
The Chiefs were without several key players, including wide receiver Marquise Brown, who is easing back from an ankle injury, as well as Jaylen Royals (knee), Nazeeh Johnson (shoulder), and linebacker Jack Cochrane (knee).
What’s Next
Chicago will host the Minnesota Vikings in a primetime season opener on September 8. Kansas City travels to Brazil for a historic international matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers on September 5.
The result may not count in the standings, but for Chicago it was a morale boost, and for Kansas City a reminder that preseason flashes mean little once backups enter. Still, Mahomes and the Chiefs’ starters looked ready for the games that matter most.
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