Kansas City entered Sunday night’s matchup 5-0, with Ty Okada later intercepting Patrick Mahomes as the Chiefs and Seahawks battled in the early stages of the game.
The Story
The Kansas City Chiefs and Seattle Seahawks met Sunday night in Seattle with Kansas City entering the game 5-0, but the Chiefs were shorthanded on the offensive line and at wide receiver against the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks.
Sunday’s matchup also marked Kenneth Walker III’s return to Seattle, when the NFL’s leading rusher faced his former team for the first time since leaving in free agency.
Inactives were announced for both teams, with the Chiefs listed without wide receiver Rashee Rice and offensive lineman Jaylon Moore. Kansas City’s inactive list also included emergency third-quarter quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, along with defensive back Jadon Canady, fullback Ben VanSumeren and defensive end Jack Pyburn.
Seattle’s inactives included running back Zach Charbonnet, as well as emergency third-quarter quarterback Drew Lock. The Seahawks were also listed without linebacker Drake Thomas, running back Robert Henry Jr., linebackers Chazz Surratt and Connor O’Toole, and guard Beau Stephens.
Early in the first quarter, the Seahawks began play on their own 14-yard line, while the Chiefs’ offense faced a series of stops and field-position swings. At 1:00, five different Seahawks recorded carries for 1:48, and at 1:54, Seattle’s pass rush forced an errant Mahomes throw, leading to another Chiefs punt.
Kansas City reached Seattle territory on a 19-yard reception from Mahomes to Noah Gray at 3:51. Walker then contributed the Chiefs’ running attack, including a run for seven yards at 5:00 that converted another Kansas City first down, and at 6:19, Justin Watson recorded the first down, noted as his first reception since returning to Kansas City.
Seattle continued to get key production on third downs, with Sam Darnold connecting with Jaxon Smith-Njigba on the Seahawks’ opening scoring drive. At 9:47, Seattle’s “tush push” moved the chains on third and short, and at 11:57, Darnold and Seattle began the night on their own 14-yard line.
In the second quarter, Seattle continued to excel on second- or third-and-long situations. On 2nd and 12, Darnold found Emanuel Wilson for a 15-yard completion at 3:56.
A turnover shifted momentum at 6:00 when Ty Okada intercepted Mahomes’ throw and ended a Chiefs drive after the Seahawks forced the stop following a fourth-and-one conversion.
As the game progressed, the drive log showed further third-down efficiency for Seattle, including a note that the Seahawks were 5-of-6 on third downs at 10:22, and an additional completion to Smith-Njigba that brought the ball to the Chiefs’ 20-yard line at 11:00. At 13:09, Darnold connected again with Smith-Njigba for a 10-yard gain on third and 9, extending the drive.
The Chiefs’ red-zone defense also featured in the play-by-play, with Seattle reaching the red zone but being limited to a field goal attempt at 8:24. The sequence later included another third-and-goal for Seattle from the six-yard line at 9:00, with the Seahawks continuing to work through a drive that had reached about seven minutes by 9:30.
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