Patrick Mahomes comes alive in second half as Chiefs cruise past Commanders for fifth win in six games

Kansas City looks all the way back after its latest victory.

Remember when the Kansas City Chiefs started 0-2 to open the 2025 NFL season, prompting plenty of "sky is falling" discourse? It feels like a distant memory now. Especially after Monday night, when the reigning AFC champions overcame a bumpy start against the Washington Commanders to put on an offensive clinic, cruising to a 28-7 victory to keep pace with the crowded AFC West.

The Commanders entered the Week 8 finale with a discernible edge, looking to play spoiler while star quarterback Jayden Daniels sat out due to a hamstring injury. Coach Dan Quinn affirmed his fearless approach by dialing up a pair of early fourth-down tries, and his defense proved opportunistic, with Marshon Lattimore and Bobby Wagner each swiping a Patrick Mahomes pass. The surprisingly competitive push all but ended at the break, however, when Marcus Mariota and Co. had the Chiefs in a 7-7 stalemate.

While Mariota himself helped offset Washington's protection issues with mobility and downfield shots to Terry McLaurin, he got little run support from Jacory Croskey-Merritt. And Quinn's unit lost all steam in the final two quarters, allowing Mahomes to play point guard by feeding just about every one of his pass catchers; the Chiefs star ended up with three scoring passes, including one apiece to tight end Travis Kelce and wideout Rashee Rice, who cleared 90 yards in his second appearance of the 2025 season.

Here are some big-picture takeaways from Kansas City's sizable win, which puts the Chiefs at 5-3 on the year, dropping the Commanders to 3-5 in the NFC East:

Play of the game

We're actually going to award two different plays here, and both were by a player on the losing team. That's because no one really rivaled Terry McLaurin's acrobatics in this matchup, even if the Commanders star didn't exit Arrowhead with a "W." McLaurin's touchdown was a thing of beauty, corralling what otherwise might've been an out-of-bounds floater from Mariota. But his sideline grab later in the game, with Washington desperate for any kind of spark, also showcased elite awareness.

The Chiefs are flying high once more

We stated a few weeks ago, after Kansas City put an underrated beating on the vaunted Detroit Lions, that the Chiefs might be back in playoff form. Now we can say it almost definitively. Let's be clear: The offense still isn't perfect, mostly due to a scattershot ground game headlined by a newly bruised Isiah Pacheco. But Patrick Mahomes is doing all his usual MVP-caliber maneuvering. Two early picks, including a fluke off the hands of Kelce? No matter. No. 15 was locked in for the second half of Monday's clash, and everyone in the Chiefs' lineup benefited from it, with five different players securing at least two passes. Now that Rashee Rice is back at full speed, we should probably be talking more about the depth and interchangeability of their toys.

Dan Quinn's got a major problem on his hands

We speak primarily of the defense. Yes, it's also an issue Washington only put seven points on the board on a night McLaurin produced two of the best catches of the year. But starting Marcus Mariota against the Chiefs on the road was always a recipe for a lower-scoring output. Quinn's "D," meanwhile, looked promising early on, getting feisty in coverage to force two turnovers. Then everything screeched to a halt after halftime, with aging big names like Marshon Lattimore and Bobby Wagner, both of whom picked off Mahomes out of the gate, struggling to keep up with the likes of Kelce, Rice and whomever else ran free to pile up 430-plus scrimmage yards for K.C. The tread on the Commanders' defensive tires is very real, and it might not get fixed soon.

The road gets no easier for Washington

Immediately after Daniels led the Commanders all the way to the NFC title game as a rookie, fans and media alike crowned Washington a Super Bowl contender for 2025. All of a sudden that dream seems quite fanciful. Daniels may or may not be back to regular form by the time the Commanders play host to the Seattle Seahawks on "Sunday Night Football" in Week 9. Even if he is under center, McLaurin (quad) and left tackle Laremy Tunsil (hamstring) now have fresh injuries of their own. Up next after Seattle? A date with the Lions. We're not ready to declare this team done in the NFC playoff picture, especially if Daniels at least returns to action, but there's a very real chance Washington is 3-7 going into Week 11 against the Miami Dolphins.

[Oct 27, 2025 at 11:06 pm ET · Cody Benjamin]

This one puts a bow on the Chiefs' convincing Monday night win:

[Oct 27, 2025 at 10:40 pm ET · Cody Benjamin]

This is just too easy now. Dan Quinn's defense is totally out of gas, as evidenced by Kansas City surging 94 yards while milking more than seven minutes from the fourth-quarter clock. Patrick Mahomes seals the deal, and basically puts the icing on the cake that is this game, by threading one to an effortlessly open Rice, who joins Travis Kelce in the 90-yard club against Washington.

[Oct 27, 2025 at 10:22 pm ET · Cody Benjamin]

Mike Danna breaks through Washington's line for a clean sack of Marcus Mariota, ruining a third-and-long attempt by the Commanders after McLaurin turned in maybe the catch of the night by laying out for a deep shot along the sidelines:

[Oct 27, 2025 at 10:14 pm ET · Cody Benjamin]

Sputtery early on, Andy Reid's offense is now firing on all cylinders, even without a noticeable ground game. Instead, Patrick Mahomes is dealing to everyone in the Chiefs' receiving corps, completing passes to four different players, including Rashee Rice and JuJu Smith-Schuster, to chug down the field. Kelce finishes the latest methodical push, capping a 75-yard series with his game-high sixth catch of the night. Now up to 99 yards, he's been reliable ever since bobbling Mahomes' second pick of the game. What energy the Commanders had early on appears to have evaporated; the Chiefs are now wearing them down.

[Oct 27, 2025 at 10:00 pm ET · Cody Benjamin]

Andy Reid takes a page out of Dan Quinn's Monday night playbook and refuses to entertain a field goal, dialing up a fourth-and-goal shot, and Patrick Mahomes does the rest, looking right past a late-blitzing Darnell Savage to find a wide-open Kareem Hunt. Reid's attack is clicking now, with a pair of scoring drives over 70 yards since late in the second quarter.

[Oct 27, 2025 at 9:38 pm ET · Cody Benjamin]

For the Chiefs to be tied with the Commanders at home at this juncture of the game is equally an indictment of Kansas City's uneven outing as an endorsement of Washington's grit. Patrick Mahomes has seen plenty of heat while operating without any real run support, and the result has been a mixed bag through the air, with the Commanders getting appropriately handsy in coverage. Washington should arguably be leading, considering its advantage in yards gained and time of possession, but a pair of fourth-down misfires and the opening-drive pick caused by a Deebo Samuel bobble enabled K.C. to keep close. We don't necessarily expect Marcus Mariota to outlast the Chiefs' own front, but his mobility has certainly helped Washington avoid too many negative plays so far.

[Oct 27, 2025 at 9:27 pm ET · Cody Benjamin]

Marcus Mariota can't quite connect with Deebo Samuel in the red zone to tie things up in Kansas City, but then he comes right back with a floater to the sideline of the end zone, where McLaurin just barely drags both feet in to corral the score. It's a heck of an effort from the Commanders' top pass catcher, and it draws some hearty cheers from Jayden Daniels on the sidelines:

[Oct 27, 2025 at 9:09 pm ET · Cody Benjamin]

Kareem Hunt pounds his way through the front for a touchdown, and we've got ourselves a score. Rashee Rice helped set up the first points of the game with a slippery run as a gadget quarterback, and Travis Kelce also made up for his earlier bobble (which led to a Commanders pick) with a couple of chain-moving receptions. Kansas City may have two turnovers, but so far, only one team has actually come up big in the red area. Washington, meanwhile, is a killer 0 for 2 on fourth downs.

[Oct 27, 2025 at 8:58 pm ET · Cody Benjamin]

Another drive, another giveaway. Gifted an extra possession after Bobby Wagner's pick of the bobbled Patrick Mahomes pass, the Commanders once again display their fearlessness by lining up to go for a fourth-and-1 just outside the Chiefs' 30, declining an opportunity to be the first on the scoreboard with a field goal, and Marcus Mariota heaves it off his back foot, deep down the sidelines and ultimately out of bounds, to put K.C. right back in the driver's seat. Not exactly the decision you want to see there.

[Oct 27, 2025 at 8:52 pm ET · Cody Benjamin]

First it's Deebo Samuel for Washington. Now it's Travis Kelce for Kansas City; Patrick Mahomes laces a routine dart to his top target over the middle, but the ball ricochets off the Pro Bowler's hands, and Bobby Wagner is right there to claim it. That makes two interceptions for Mahomes in as many quarters against the Commanders, who are all about "living on the edge" with aggression tonight, coach Dan Quinn just told the ESPN broadcast. One thing's for sure: Neither side can hold onto the rock just yet.

[Oct 27, 2025 at 8:45 pm ET · Cody Benjamin]

Dan Quinn isn't playing around. Despite watching the Commanders end their first drive with a red-zone pick, he dials up a fourth-and-6 attempt from around midfield, and Marcus Mariota delivers an accurate over-the-middle strike to tight end Zach Ertz. Officials use the virtual measuring system to declare the gain just short of moving the sticks, however, so it's a turnover on downs. Gutsy call, and it backfires for this moment. A key factor: The Commanders are using a new kicker in Matthew Wright tonight, with regular kicker Matt Gay inactive due to a back injury; Wright was just signed to the club's practice squad, then elevated, today.

[Oct 27, 2025 at 8:42 pm ET · Cody Benjamin]

The former Pro Bowler is officially considered questionable to return. Veteran Brandon Coleman, who is active for the first time in more than a month, is in as the emergency blind-side blocker for Marcus Mariota.

[Oct 27, 2025 at 8:35 pm ET · Cody Benjamin]

How about this for a Commanders rebound? Not long after Deebo Samuel's shaky hands afford the Chiefs a first-drive interception, Washington takes the ball right back with its own red-zone takeaway. One play after Jacob Martin gets in Patrick Mahomes' face with a bull rush, No. 15 tries to squeeze the ball into a tight window along the sideline, but Marshon Lattimore reads it all the way:

[Oct 27, 2025 at 8:27 pm ET · Cody Benjamin]

Marcus Mariota now has a pick in three straight games, but this one's not really his fault: Samuel fails to get his hands wrapped around a screen pass, and the ball bounces up into the air, allowing Mike Danna to snag an easy pick. The one thing Washington needed was for its proven weapons to help make Mariota comfortable; this is precisely an example of the opposite. Making matters worse: All of it occurs in the red zone, spoiling a Commanders score to start the contest.

[Oct 27, 2025 at 8:04 pm ET · Cody Benjamin]

The veteran backup filled in admirably for Jayden Daniels during the latter's rookie season, throwing four touchdowns and zero interceptions in relief of Daniels throughout 2024. This year has been a slightly different story: Mariota once again served as a plug-and-play replacement while Daniels rested with a knee sprain earlier this season, completing 71% of his throws and rushing for 40 yards in a 44-24 September rout of the Las Vegas Raiders. Since then, however, he's hit just 20 of 37 throws with two picks. Steve Spagnuolo's Chiefs defense will arguably be his tallest task yet.

[Oct 27, 2025 at 7:22 pm ET · Cody Benjamin]

Washington will officially be without quarterback Jayden Daniels (hamstring), who is inactive, leaving Marcus Mariota as the top signal-caller against Kansas City. Dan Quinn's defense will have interior man Daron Payne, however, as the veteran is active for "Monday Night Football" despite entering the day listed as questionable with a toe injury. Other notable inclusions include starting wideouts Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel, who've both missed time in 2025 but are good to go against K.C.

[Oct 27, 2025 at 6:45 pm ET · Cody Benjamin]

From our betting preview at CBS Sports:

Kansas City has covered in four of its last five games, highlighted by its historic 31-0 victory over Vegas on Sunday. It was Andy Reid's 427th regular season game as head coach, and it was the first time that Reid's team shut out an opponent. ... The Chiefs are 10-1 all-time versus the Washington franchise, including a current eight-game win streak in which their average margin of victory is 18.6 points. Kansas City's ascending passing game will get to face one of the league's worst pass defenses as Washington ranks dead last in yards per attempt allowed and yards per completion allowed. The Commanders also possess a -5 turnover differential on the year, which is fourth-worst in the league, while Kansas City has the fifth-best turnover differential at +5.

[Oct 27, 2025 at 6:30 pm ET · Cody Benjamin]

From Jared Dubin's preview of Monday night's matchup:

Washington will likely try to control the game on the ground with Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Marcus Mariota, given that the run game is likely to be the strength of the offense and that doing so would help keep Patrick Mahomes off the field.

The Commanders are averaging a league-best 5.3 yards per rush, with a significant portion of those being yards after contact because both their running backs and quarterbacks have been good at breaking tackles. (They have the league's 10th-highest avoided tackle rate.) The Chiefs can be run on, as they have given up 4.5 yards per carry, so the strategy of trying to pound the rock is probably a wise one.