Chiefs 24, Commanders 14: Washington Comeback Bid Falls Short
The Washington Commanders are leaving Arrowhead Stadium with a sour taste in their mouths, falling to the Kansas City Chiefs 24-14.
The Commanders never found an answer for Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense, as Kansas City scored on its first two possessions to take a 14-0 lead.
Carson Wentz and the first-team offense struggled today, failing to put any points on the board before handing the keys to backup Taylor Heinicke.
Heinicke found success in the final first-half possession, crafting an 11-play, 84-yard drive that was capped off by a tough Cam Sims touchdown grab where he fought off multiple defenders to put the Commanders on the board before heading to the locker room.
In the second half, fifth-round rookie Sam Howell came on in relief and led the team's second scoring drive of the day. The 8-play, 93-yard drive in the middle of the fourth quarter cut the deficit to three points and put the Commanders in striking distance.
After the Washington defense held the Chiefs to another scoreless drive, Howell had the opportunity to play hero like he did last week once again. Unfortunately for the former Tar Heel, he threw an interception on the drive's second play to cornerback Chris Lammons, which set the Chiefs up for an easy touchdown three plays later.
While the Commanders failed to grab a win for the second week in a row, there are some positives to take away.
Third-round rookie Brian Robinson Jr. started the game at running back and played well, running for 31 yards on eight carries. Veteran cornerback Kendall Fuller also performed well, breaking up a pair of passes against his former team.
While the scoreboard doesn't indicate success, the Commanders will look to build on the positive takeaways from the game and apply it to next week's preseason finale against the Baltimore Ravens.