What a difference 217 days makes. The Philadelphia Eagles‘ and Kansas City Chiefs’ offenses both sputtered through a first half that saw the Eagles take a 7-0 lead on a Saquon Barley 13-yard first quarter burst but needed a 58 yard field goal by Jake Elliott at the first half gun to send both teams to the locker room deadlocked in a 10-10 tie.
The Basics: Eagles at Chiefs
Final Score: Eagles 20, Chiefs 17
MVP: S Andrew Mukuba – 6 tackles, 5 solo, 1 tfl, 0.5 sacks, 1 INT
Records: (Eagles 2-0, 1-0 Away) vs Chiefs (0-2, 0-2 Home)
Gambling side winner: Eagles -1.5, Total – Under 47.5, Moneyline: Eagles -120
Next up: vs Rams Sunday September 21, 1:00 pm FOX
Turnovers the Key
The second half came down the turnovers. The Chiefs truned the ball over on downs on the first drive of the second half at their own 36 and four plays later Elliott bured a 51-yarder to give the Birds a 13-10 lead.
The turning point of the game though came early in the fourth quarter with the Chiefs knocking on the door but Travis Kelce couldn’t haul in a Mahomes pass at the goal line that Eagles rookie safety Andrew Mukuba did logging his first career interception and running the ball out to the Eagles 41 yard line.
Big Play at Critical Time
A few plays later on a critical third and 10 from the Chiefs 31 yard line Jalen Hurts hit Devonta Smith with a jump ball down to the three yard line and a few plays later Hurts toosh-pushed his way into the endzone to give the Birds a 10 point cushion and a lead they wouln’t relinquish despite a late 49-yard touchdown pass from Mahomes to Tyquan Thorton with three minutes remaining.
The Chiefs tried an onside kick that followed but A.J. Brown easily scooped it up and the Birds were able to run out the clock from there. Saquon Barkley finished with a hard fought 88 yards on 22 carries while Hurts finished with a 15/22 day for just 101 yards but no turnovers.
The Eagles move to 2-0 and head home to face the L.A. Rams next Sunday at 1 pm at Lincoln Financial Field.