The Chiefs went on to miss a field goal in the closing seconds of the first half, meaning that Kansas City maintained only a one-point lead at the break, but the Chiefs began the second half on fire and never looked back.
First, return man Isiah Pacheco brought the opening kick of the third quarter all the way into 49ers’ territory, marking a 48-yard return. The Chiefs then cashed in on the premium field position, as tailback Clyde Edwards-Helaire capped a three-play, 33-yard series with a 16-yard touchdown run.
That put Kansas City up by eight points, and while San Francisco answered with a field goal, Mahomes proceeded to lead yet another touchdown drive on the Chiefs’ next possession with a four-yard scoring strike to wide receiver Justin Watson. The play was made possible thanks to a tremendous effort a bit earlier by tailback Jerick McKinnon, who converted a 3rd-and-20 by hauling in a screen and weaving his way through traffic to move the chains.
It was part of a huge day on third down for the Chiefs, who converted six of nine opportunities while averaging more than 20 yards-per-play.
The Chiefs’ efforts on that drive meant that Kansas City now possessed a double-digit advantage after overcoming one earlier, but the 49ers didn’t go away. Garoppolo threw the ball eight times on San Francisco’s next series, completing numerous passes for big yardage before hitting tight end George Kittle for a 15-yard score that pulled San Francisco within five points.
Pro Bowl defensive end Nick Bosa then sacked Mahomes on the Chiefs’ next drive, presenting Kansas City with a long third down deep in its own territory. One of the defining moments of the game soon followed, however, as Mahomes found wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scanting for a 57-yard gain deep down the field that moved the chains and set up a three-yard touchdown by Hardman – his third of the day – a handful of snaps later.
The series – which also included a 20-yard grab by wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster…
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