The Commanders responded on the ensuing drive. Ben Sinnott got open for a 22-yard catch, and Jeremy McNichols' 18-yard grab moved the unit to the Chiefs' 21-yard line. Five plays later, McLaurin managed to keep both feet in bounds for an 11-yard touchdown that tied things up, 7-7.
Momentum quickly swung back in the Chiefs' favor, though.
It started with the Chiefs' opening drive of the third quarter. They moved 80 yards on eight plays and retook the lead with a two-yard touchdown from Hunt. Jaylin Lane then muffed Harrison Butker's ensuing kickoff, forcing the Commanders to start their drive at their own 1-yard line. They managed to get some breathing room with an 18-yard catch from McLaurin but were forced to punt three plays later.
The Chiefs were back in the end zone eight plays later. JuJu Smith-Schuster started things off with a 24-yard catch, and Kelce finished it with a 10-yard touchdown reception.
The score put even more pressure on the Commanders to respond, and for a moment, it looked like they would. McLaurin's 25-yard sideline grab moved the ball to the Chiefs' 37-yard line, but the Commanders went backwards after the play thanks to a two-yard loss on a Mariota run and a 10-yard sack on third-and-11, forcing their first punt of the night.
That's when the Chiefs went for the final blow. They put together a 13-play, 94-yard drive that took seven minutes off the clock. They only faced one third down on the possession, which they picked up with an 11-yard reception from Rice, who was in the end zone two plays later on an 18-yard catch-and-run.
The Commanders gained just 24 yards on nine plays for the rest of the night. The game essentially ended when Mariota threw his second interception with 12 seconds left, allowing the Chiefs to run out the clock.
Although the Chiefs were the Commanders' most difficult opponent up to this point in the season, they face a difficul schedule for the rest of the month. They have two home matchups before heading to Spain to take on the Miami Dolphins, but they are against the Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions -- two of the best teams in the conference.
The Commanders will see the Seahawks next weekend on Sunday Night Football at Northwest Stadium.