KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Chiefs Kingdom surely will welcome back Taylor Swift anytime, especially if Kansas City is going to play like that.
Romantically linked to All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce in recent weeks, Swift watched the game from Kelce’s luxury suite and cheered the Chiefs to a 41-10 victory over Chicago alongside his mom, Donna Kelce.
The Bears are a picture of dysfunction.
Chicago extended its franchise-record losing skid to 13 games — capping a week where quarterback Justin Fields publicly suggested coaching was to blame for his struggles, the team’s defensive coordinator Alan Williamsquit amid murky circumstances, and Soldier Field was robbed of $100,000 in equipment.
Meanwhile, Kansas City’s offense, which has been stuck in the mud for the first two weeks, finally got untracked in the franchise’s largest win since a 39-point win Dec. 12, 2021, against Las Vegas.
The Chiefs only led 7-0 after the first quarter before exploding for 27 second-quarter points, including 20 points in the final 3 minutes and 5 seconds before halftime.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire scored on a 1-yard run early in the period before Jerick McKinnon started the scoring blitz with a 3-yard touchdown catch, his second TD reception of the game.
Harrison Butker then sandwiched a pair of field goals around a 1-yard Isiah Pacheco touchdown run.
Chicago lost a fumble and Fields threw an interception to safety Mike Edwards, which aided Kansas City’s bonanza to close the half with a 34-0 lead, the franchise’s second-largest halftime shutout lead behind only a 35-0 lead against Arizona in 2002.
“Offensively, we got things rolling, and that’s a plus,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “... [Offensive coordinator] Matt Nagy and the offensive coaches put together a really nice game plan.”
Kansas City racked up 456 yards and an astounding 31 first downs, going 10 for 14 on third down and committing only two penalties for 15 yards.
After averaging fewer than 96 yards rushing through the first two games, the offense churned out 153 rushing yards, including Isiah Pacheco's 15 carries for 62 yards and Clyde Edwards-Helaire's 15 carries for 55 yards.
“We wanted to get back to doing what we do best — that was being the Kansas City Chiefs,” McKinnon said. “Offensive-wise, the first two weeks, we didn’t look too sharp. So, we got challenged by the coaches all week and we challenged ourselves.”
No word on whether Swift will be at the Chiefs’ next game against the New York Jets on Sunday Night Football, a game that can be seen on KSHB 41.
But the world’s other transcendent female singer-songwriter, Beyoncé, will be in Kansas City next Sunday for her rescheduled concert at Arrowhead Stadium — quite a week for the ol’ Home of the Chiefs.
Kansas City pumped its lead to 41-0 on Mahomes’ third touchdown pass of the game, a 3-yard hookup with Swift’s presumptive boyfriend, Kelce, in the back of the end zone.
Swift seemed to thoroughly enjoy the moment as cameras caught her exuberantly celebrating Kelce’s TD and ensuing dance moves.
MAHOMES’ HEALTH: Late in the first half, Patrick Mahomes appeared to come up limping after he got hit while throwing a pass.
The Chiefs led 31-0 at that point, but Mahomes didn’t leave the game and started the second half. He was greeted by the team’s medical staff when he went to the sideline after the drive but never retreated to the locker room.
Eventually, Mahomes gave way to backup Blaine Gabbert with 4:37 remaining in the third quarter, finishing the day 24 of 33 for 272 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions.
Mahomes downplayed the injury after the game.
"I made it (through the game) fine," he said. "I would have been fine to play the rest of the game. If anything, it kind of scared me more just being that ankle."
Mahomes said he got the ankle taped up "and I was ready to go."
PETTY MAHOMES: The Chiefs drafted Mahomes with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.
That was eight selections after Chicago took Mitch Tribusky with the No. 2 overall pick.
Mahomes hasn't forgotten — nor, it seems, has he forgiven the Bears for the slight.
"I don't know if it's still in my mind, but I like beating them for sure," Mahomes, who was otherwise jovial, said with a little bite to his voice and fire in his eyes.
The cherry on top Sunday? Mahomes became the fastest player ever to reach 25,000 career passing yards.
“It’s cool,” Mahomes said. “I don’t think about that stuff, but it really is cool. To do it at Arrowhead, throwing it to Travis, who’s got a lot of those yards, it’s a tremendous honor to be a part of this organization and get to do stuff like that.”
CONTINUED NFC DOMINANCE: The Chiefs are 20-3 during the last five seasons against the NFC, including an 18-2 record in the regular season.
Kansas City’s only regular-season losses during that span came in October 2019 against Green Bay, with Patrick Mahomes sidelined by a knee injury, and during this season’s opener against Detroit, without Travis Kelce and Chris Jones.
The Chiefs also lost Super Bowl LV at Tampa Bay but have won the other two postseason matchups against the NFC — Super Bowl LIV against San Francisco and Super Bowl LVII against Philadelphia last February.
DEFENSIVE "TRANQUILLITY": Even without starting middle linebacker Nick Bolton, who has led the Chiefs in tackles each of his first two seasons and through the first two games this season, Kansas City’s defense kept rolling along.
Veteran Drue Tranquill, who replaced Bolton in the starting lineup, led the defense with eight tackles in the season’s most dominant overall showing.
The Bears have only 124 total yards and seven first downs in the first three quarters.
It wasn’t until Gabbert started throwing interceptions that Chicago managed to get anything going on offense, turning two picks into a field goal and touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
REID PASSES LANDRY: With the win, Chiefs coach Andy Reid moved into sole possession of fourth place among NFL coaches all-time with 271 wins, including the playoffs.
Reid entered Sunday’s game tied with Dallas Cowboys Hall of Fame coach Tom Landry, who coached 270 victories.
Now, Reid stands alone in fourth place behind only Don Shula (347), Bill Belichick (330) and George Halas (324).
Reid, who is 249-139-1 in the regular season and 22-16 in the postseason, ranks fifth in regular-season wins, one behind Landry (250).
Shula (328), Halas (318) and Belichick (299) are the top three in regular-season wins, while Belichick is the only NFL coach with more postseason wins (31) than Reid.
INJURY REPORT: Backup offensive tackle Prince Tega Wanogho (strained left quad) came in late in the third quarter at right tackle when the Chiefs started pulling their starters in a 41-0 game.
He was injured trying to chase down Bears linebacker Jack Sanborn during his 42-yard interception return later that same drive.
Reid said Wanogho was the only player who left the game injured and didn’t return.
Linebacker Nick Bolton (sprained ankle) missed the game and wide receiver Richie James (sprained knee) landed on injured reserve this week.
Montrell Washington, who was called up from the practice squad, handled punt-return duties in James' absence, averaging 11 yards on three returns.
“We haven’t seen him do his thing here,” Reid said. “But he went out and had a couple nice returns. I thought he did a good job and looked very secure with the ball.”
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