TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes experienced all the solutions for solving Tampa Bay’s stingy defence, successful his most up-to-date matchup in opposition to Tom Brady in the stadium in which the 7-time Super Bowl winner dealt him one particular of his most disappointing losses.
Mahomes threw for 249 yards and 3 touchdowns, together with an electrifying bounce pass to Clyde Edwards-Helaire, to guide the Chiefs to a 41-31 victory over the Buccaneers on Sunday evening.
Participating in at sold out Raymond James Stadium only 4 times after Hurricane Ian ravaged portions of Florida, Mahomes experienced TD throws of 16 yards to Travis Kelce, 1 lawn to Edwards-Helaire and 10 yards to Jody Fortson while making NFL historical past by reaching 20,000 yards passing a lot quicker than anyone else.
Edwards-Helaire and limited stop Noah Gray rushed for TDs for the Chiefs (3-1), who won the first conference between Mahomes and Brady since Tampa Bay’s 31-9 rout of Kansas City in the Super Bowl — also played at Raymond James Stadium — two seasons in the past.
“When I came into the stadium I understood that I hadn’t been below and the lousy flavor I had final time came into result,” Mahomes mentioned. “But it is nevertheless not a playoff video game. It is a common-season game, which is significant. That Tremendous Bowl will constantly go away a undesirable taste for me.”
The short go to Edwards-Helaire was Mahomes at his improvisational best: He escaped two defenders, did a 360-diploma spin move and flipped the ball above a group to the working back in the back again of the end zone.
“I was able to use my speed, my very little bit of pace, to get about the edge there. I was gonna operate for it, but they form of flew close to me,” Mahomes mentioned. “I realized I was not going to make it and I saw Clyde, so I form of flicked it up to him.”
Brady observed it truly is enjoyable watching Mahomes, except he is on the opposing sideline.
“I enjoy looking at Patrick play. … Unfortunately we are on the erroneous conclusion of it tonight,” said Brady, who’s 1-2 in opposition to the Chiefs quarterback because becoming a member of the Bucs in 2020 soon after two decades with the New England Patriots.
Brady completed 39 of 52 passes for 385 yards and three TDs without the need of an interception for Tampa Bay (2-2). The Bucs, nonetheless, played from behind the entire night following rookie Rachaad White fumbled the opening kickoff and Mahomes threw his TD pass to Kelce two performs later.
The Chiefs also received into the conclude zone on 3 of their following 4 possessions, with Mahomes consistently shredding the Tampa Bay defence with pinpoint passes and Edwards-Helaire and Isiah Pacheco taking turns managing the ball successfully.
“It’s a staff activity. We did not engage in great on offence. We did not enable (the defence) a lot, possibly,” Brady claimed.
“We did not do good in the initial half. Much too a lot of skipped possibilities on 3rd downs, turnovers. We gotta participate in a large amount much better to be just one of the very good teams,” the 7-time Tremendous Bowl winner included. “We have not played our greatest nevertheless this yr.”
Chiefs cornerback L’Jarius Sneed sacked Brady, forcing a fumble that Mahomes turned into Gray’s TD, with the tight conclude having a direct snap from middle on the 1-lawn plunge that place Kansas Town up 28-10.
Brady threw TD passes of 13 yards and 1 yard to Mike Evans, who returned from serving a a single-video game suspension for his role in a on-area brawl at New Orleans two months ago. He experienced 8 receptions for 103 yards.
Evans’ 2nd TD trimmed Kansas City’s direct to 28-17 at halftime. That was as near as the Bucs got until Leonard Fournette’s 5-garden TD reception minimize Tampa Bay’s deficit to 41-31 with 3:30 remaining.
Brady would not get the ball back until finally less than a minute was remaining.
Kansas Metropolis concluded with 417 yards of total offence, including a 189-3 edge on the floor, versus a defence that had authorized a league-low 27 points through a few game titles.
“Everything in this video game fell on the defensive facet of the ball,” Bucs coach Todd Bowles claimed. “You name it we did it. Skipped tackles. Skipped assignments. Undesirable phone calls.”
The Bucs sacked Mahomes three instances and intercepted him when, but it was not the “coming out party” linebacker Shaquil Barrett assumed his crew could have versus an offensive line the Chiefs have overhauled given that struggling towards Tampa Bay in the Super Bowl loss.
With Hurricane Ian approaching the Florida’s Gulf Coast, the Bucs evacuated for four times to the Miami region, in which they practiced Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at the Dolphins’ coaching facility although the NFL made contingency strategies to move the recreation to Minneapolis if it couldn’t be performed in Tampa.
The Glazer spouse and children that owns the Bucs has announced it is donating $1 million for hurricane reduction. The NFL Basis is matching that donation, and the Bucs on Sunday night time began a “Florida Strong” campaign to raise cash, as effectively as honour crisis staff and first responders.
Gamers and enthusiasts noticed a “moment of support” prior the countrywide anthem, and the Bucs also compensated tribute to those people affected by the hurricane in a movie presentation displayed on big scoreboard screens right before the match.
Injuries
Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker (ankle) was inactive for the 3rd straight recreation. … Bucs WRs Chris Godwin (hamstring) and Julio Jones (knee ), as nicely as LT Donovan Smith (elbow), played for the first time considering the fact that Tampa Bay’s time-opening victory at Dallas. … Bucs CB Logan Ryan still left with a foot injuries in the very first quarter. … TE Cameron Brate (concussion) and CB Carlton Davis (stinger) remaining in the next 50 percent.
UP Upcoming
Chiefs: Return property to facial area the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday, Oct. 10.
Buccaneers: Host the Atlanta Falcons upcoming Sunday.
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