The Chiefs are playing mostly backups today. Mistakes have them trailing at halftime
The Chiefs came up with a goal-line stand with two minutes remaining to keep Sunday’s game against the L.A. Chargers tied.
By halftime, they were trailing by ten
The Chargers, who get the ball to begin the second half, took a 24-14 halftime lead . Rookie quarterback Justin Herbert threw a pair of touchdown passes and powered in from the for another.
The goal-line stand was provided by tackle Khalen Saunders. He stopped Herbert on a fourth and goal from the 2. That kept the game at 14.
But two snaps later, Chad Henne was sacked in the end zone for a safety to make it 16-14. The Chargers took the free kick and rolled to their third touchdown of the half and added a two-point conversion.
Herbert’s first touchdown pass was his 380th completion of the season, setting an NFL rookie record. He entered the game with the league mark for touchdown passes by a rookie and now has 30.
Another mistake, a bad decision by punt returner Mecole Hardman, led to a Chargers short-field touchdown.
After the Chiefs force their only punt of the first half, Hardman attemped to field the ball on a bounce and never handled it. Herbert ended the short drive with his second touchdown pass.
Touchdowns, Henne-one?
The Chiefs got the ball first and could hardly have been more impressive on their opening drive.
Darwin Thompson did most of the heavy lifting with a big play, a 37-yard gain off a screen pass. That was Thompson’s longest play from scrimmage in his two-year career.
The Chiefs reached the 3, where Chat Henne fired a dart to the back of the end zone to Byron Pringle. It was Henne’s first touchdown pass since his last start, in 2014, and the second scoring reception of Pringle’s career.
The Chiefs made it two touchdowns on two possessions, with the second one chewing up clock. They used nearly six minutes to go 67 yards with Thompson scoring from the 1.
A big play on the drive occurred two plays earlier when Henne’s pass to Thomspon bounced off his shoulder pads ... and into the arms of Pringle.
Introducing the starters
The latest addition to the Chiefs roster found himself in the starting lineup.
Patrick Omameh started at guard. The Chiefs signed him earlier in the week after he was waived by the Saints. His stay in New Orleans lasted only a few days. Omameh had just been released by the Las Vegas Raiders, where he appeared in six games this season.
Omameh is a seven-year veteran who appeared in his 88th game and made his 58th start Sunday. He went undrafted out of Michigan in 2013 and made 16 starts for the Buccaneers in 2014.
Also starting on the offensive line were tackles Martinas Rankin and Mizzou product Yasir Durant, guard Stefen Wisniewski and center Daniel Kilgore.
Tight end Deon Yelder made the second start of his three year career. The starting wide receivers were Pringle, Hardman and Demarcus Robinson..
On defense, Mike Danna and Tim Ward started at end, Khalen Saunders and Turk Wharton at tackle, and Darius Harris, Willie Gay and Damien Wilson at linebacker. Gay was hurt in the first half, injuring his leg, and his return was questionable.
DeAndre Baker and BoPete Keyes were the cornerbacks, with Juan Thornhill and Armani Watts at safety.
Rashad Fenton came up with 44-yard return on the opening kickoff.
This story was originally published January 3, 2021 at 4:56 PM with the headline "The Chiefs are playing mostly backups today. Mistakes have them trailing at halftime."