Running game picks up the passing offense as Chiefs avoid an upset against the Jets
Isiah Pacheco had 158 yards and a touchdown on a long run to lead the Kansas City Chiefs to a 23-20 victory over the New York Jets on Sunday night in East Rutherford, N.J.
Pacheco rushed for 115 yards on 20 attempts and caught three passes for 43 yards. Patrick Mahomes threw for 203 yards and a touchdown pass to Noah Gray as the Chiefs (3-1) won despite blowing a 17-point lead in the first quarter.
Zach Wilson led the Jets with 28-of-39 passing for 245 yards and two touchdowns whilst still taking over for the injured Aaron Rodgers. For New York (1-3), Allen Lazard and C.J. Uzomah both caught touchdown passes.
Mahomes rushed seven times for 51 yards, completed 18 of 30 passes, and threw two interceptions. Mahomes' touchdown pass to Gray was his 200th scoring pass of his career, and it came in his 84th game. Only Hall of Famer Dan Marino (89) and Aaron Rodgers (99) have reached 200 in fewer than 100 games.
On their first possession, the Chiefs received a 37-yard field goal from Harrison Butker and increased their lead to 10-0 when Pacheco ran 48 yards for a touchdown on third-and-1 with 8:32 left in the first quarter. With 3:24 remaining in the quarter, Mahomes hit Gray from 34 yards out.
The Jets' comeback from a 17-point deficit began with a safety with 13:20 left in the first half. Jawaan Taylor of the Kansas City Chiefs was flagged for grabbing the facemask of New York's Bryce Huff in the Chiefs' end zone.
With 9:50 left in the half, Greg Zuerlein hit a 31-yard field goal for the Jets, and Ashtyn Davis intercepted Mahomes on the next offensive snap. With 6:26 left in the half, Wilson's 1-yard scoring pass to Uzomah pulled New York within 17-12.
Butker's 37-yard field goal with 2:15 remaining gave the Chiefs a 20-12 lead at the half.
The Jets started the second half with a 75-yard drive on seven plays. Wilson finished the drive with a 10-yard scoring pass to Lazard, and then dove in for a successful two-point conversion run to tie the game.
Butker kicked his third field goal of the night, a 26-yarder with 10:51 left in the game to give the Chiefs a 23-20 lead.
With 7:24 remaining, New York was at the Chiefs 49-yard line when Wilson dropped a shotgun snap, and Kansas City's Tershawn Wharton recovered at the Jets 47. The Chiefs converted three crucial third downs on a 15-play drive that ran out the clock.
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