Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes showcased his skills in the team’s preseason finale against the Chicago Bears on Friday night, demonstrating that the first-team offense is in midseason form. Despite a competitive game that ended in a 29-27 victory for the Bears, Mahomes and his offensive line exhibited impressive synergy by scoring on each of their first three possessions.
In just over a quarter of play, Mahomes completed 8 of 13 passes for 143 yards and a touchdown. He could have added another touchdown to his tally had running back Kareem Hunt not dropped a wide-open pass in the end zone. The Chiefs built a commanding lead with a touchdown run by Isiah Pacheco and a scoring catch by Rashee Rice, taking a 20-3 advantage before resting most of their starters for the remainder of the game.
As the Kansas City Chiefs prepare for their regular-season opener against the Los Angeles Chargers in São Paulo in two weeks, Mahomes expressed his enthusiasm about getting real game reps at Arrowhead Stadium. “I was super excited to get out there, especially at Arrowhead and get real reps,” he stated. “This shows all the hard work we put in during training camp has paid off. We’ll continue to build as we get ready for the regular season.”
Prior to this game, the Chiefs faced challenges in their preseason, suffering losses to the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks, where they struggled in both offensive and defensive lines. However, their performance against the Bears marked a turnaround, showcasing their improvements. Coach Andy Reid acknowledged that while the team needs to finish games stronger, he was pleased with how the starters performed on both sides of the ball, emphasizing the effectiveness of special teams throughout the night.
The Chicago Bears, who previously had a dominant 38-0 victory over the Buffalo Bills, faced a much tougher challenge against the Chiefs. The Bears struggled initially, failing to score on their first two possessions, which led to frustration for coach Ben Johnson. “It was disappointing to see how slow we started,” he commented. The Bears finally found their rhythm late in the second quarter when quarterback Caleb Williams connected with Rome Odunze for a touchdown, narrowing the gap to 20-10 by halftime.
Williams finished the game with 11 completions on 15 attempts for 113 yards and one touchdown before being replaced by backup quarterback Tyson Bagent. After signing a two-year, $10 million deal earlier that week, Bagent took the reins in the second half, throwing for 212 yards and three touchdown passes, including the game-winning score to Jahdae Walker with just three seconds left on the clock.
The Bears faced challenges with their running back roster, as injuries sidelined players like Roschon Johnson and Travis Homer. In the kicker department, Cairo Santos had a rough night, missing a 47-yard field goal off the upright and having a PAT blocked.
In terms of injuries, the Bears' defensive end Austin Booker is expected to be out for a few weeks due to a knee injury. Linebacker Noah Sewell returned to the game after being injured, while several key Chiefs players, including wide receiver Jaylen Royals and cornerback Nazeeh Johnson, did not participate.
Looking ahead, the Bears will host the Minnesota Vikings in primetime to kick off their season on September 8, while the Chiefs will head to Brazil for their game against the Chargers on September 5.
