The Panthers gave the Chiefs all they could handle on Sunday, but in the end, Patrick Mahomes did what Patrick Mahomes does to bring Kansas City a 30-27 victory.
Down 27-16 after Mahomes’ 3-yard touchdown to DeAndre Hopkins late in the third quarter, the Panthers stormed back with 11 points to tie it up with 1:46 left in the contest. Eddy Piñeiro hit a 33-yard field goal to narrow the deficit early in the fourth quarter. And after Carolina got a defensive stop, Chuba Hubbard powered his way into the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown to make it 27-25.
A defensive pass interference penalty on the first two-point conversion gave Carolina a second opportunity, which the team capitalized on with a Hubbard run to tie the score at 27 apiece.
But Mahomes got it done on Kansas City’s ensuing drive, scrambling for a 33-yard gain all the way down to Carolina’s 22-yard line to set up a game-winning field goal.
With Harrison Butker out due to a knee injury, Spencer Shrader connected from 31 yards out as time expired to send Kansas City home a winner.
The Chiefs had scored on each of their first five possessions, building a 20-6 lead at halftime. But then in the fourth quarter, two punts allowed the Panthers to get back in it and tie the contest.
Mahomes finished the game 27-of-37 for 269 yards with three touchdowns — good for a 120.2 passer rating. It was just the third game all season for Mahomes without an interception. He tossed a 35-yard touchdown and an 11-yard touchdown to Noah Gray in the first half, giving Gray consecutive games with two touchdowns.
But Mahomes’ 3-yard scoring strike to Hopkins tied him with Len Dawson on the franchise’s all-time passing touchdowns list at 237.
Hopkins caught five passes for 35 yards with a TD and Travis Kelce also had six catches for 62 yards.
On the other side, quarterback Bryce Young played well, making some solid passes in the face of pressure. He finished 21-of-35 for 263 yards with a touchdown. He also had 20 yards rushing on three carries.
Panthers tight Ja’Tavion Sanders was carted off the field on a backboard with a neck injury late in the first half and transported to a local hospital. Fortunately, he had movement in his extremities.
Now at 10-1, the Chiefs will have a short week as they’ll host the Raiders for a Black Friday matchup on Nov. 29.
The 3-8 Panthers will host the division-rival Buccaneers in Week 13.
