KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Sunday’s first half provided a game of firsts for a trio of Chiefs players.
Wide receiver Kadarius Toney scored his first career touchdown; wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling notched his first touchdown in a Chiefs uniform; and tight end Noah Gray recorded his first touchdown of the season.
The Chiefs rode the strength of those three first-half scores en route to a 27-17 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
Toney got it started early with a 6-yard touchdown and showed some athleticism on his way to the end zone. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes found Toney all alone on the right side of the field, and Toney’s momentum almost carried him out of bounds.
The second-year wide receiver, however, maintained his balance along the sideline by hopping on one leg before crossing the end zone for his first career touchdown. The touchdown finished a five-play, 80-yard drive, which also featured Mahomes finding tight end Travis Kelce for a 46-yard gain.
Two possessions later, Mahomes found Valdes-Scantling, who joined the Chiefs during free agency this offseason, for an 18-yard touchdown. Gray joined the touchdown party in the second quarter on a 13-yard catch.
Mahomes connected with Kelce for a 7-yard touchdown in the third quarter to effectively put the game out of reach for the Jaguars. The Chiefs’ star quarterback finished the game completing 26 of 35 passes for 331 yards and four touchdowns with an interception for a 129.6 passer rating.
Mahomes, who made his 72nd career start on Sunday, entered the game with 172 career touchdown passes. With four throwing scores against the Jaguars, Mahomes now has 176 career touchdown throws, a mark that passes Pro Football Hall of Famer Dan Marino (173) for most touchdown passes in a player’s first 75 career starts.
The Chiefs totaled 486 yards of offense, ran 62 plays, and averaged 7.8 yards per play against the Jaguars.
Defensively, the Chiefs made sure the Jaguars’ offense wouldn’t get going.
And it started on Jacksonville’s first drive, where safety Juan Thornhill came up with a pass defensed down the field and rookie defensive end George Karlaftis knocked down a pass at the line of scrimmage to force a punt.
Jacksonville’s ground attack entered the weekend ranked seventh in the league, averaging 146.8 yards per game. Running back Travis Etienne was on a roll, totaling 379 yards rushing and four touchdowns over the past three games, but found the going tough against the Chiefs.
Kansas City’s run defense, which ranked fifth in the league, swarmed Etienne and didn’t let him get untracked. Etienne finished the game with 45 yards rushing on 11 carries.
The Chiefs defense also harassed Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence throughout the game, totaling five sacks and six quarterback hits. Defensive tackle Chris Jones led the sack party with 1.5 sacks, while rookie Leo Chenal recorded his first career sack.
The Chiefs improved to 7-2 in the season ahead of Week 11’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Here’s what else stood out Sunday afternoon:
DUNLAP MAKES HISTORY
Defensive end Carols Dunlap signed a free-agent deal with the Chiefs during training camp with 96 career sacks, leaving him four sacks shy of the historic century mark.
Dunlap, who entered Sunday’s game with 3.5 sacks in the season, can now put that notch on his belt.
In the first quarter, Dunlap and defensive tackle Chris Jones converged in the backfield on Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawarnce and dropped Lawrence for a 9-yard loss. The split sack gave Dunlap exactly 100 sacks in his career, and he became the 41st player since sacks became an official stat in 1982 to record 100 or more career sacks.
TONEY IMPRESSES
Toney totaled just nine offensive snaps in Week 9, which marked his debut after the Chiefs traded for him during the bye. He recorded two catches for 12 yards in Week 9.
Just a week later, the Chiefs made sure to get him more involved. In addition to his first-quarter touchdown, Toney recorded four catches for 57 yards, 33 yards rushing on two carries, and two punt returns for 11 yards.
The Chiefs relied on Toney against the Jaguars because wide receiver Mecole Hardman was inactive.
SPECIAL TEAMS MISCUES
Kicker Harrison Butker earlier in the week admitted he isn’t 100% healthy from his sprained left ankle.
Butker’s admission came on the heels of a missed field goal and extra point in Week 9, and now he missed another extra point in Sunday’s win over the Jaguars.
The Chiefs won’t make any drastic changes and will live or die with Butker, who is regarded as one of the NFL’s best kickers.
Meanwhile, tight end Jody Fortson fumbled a kickoff return late in the second quarter. Fortson’s turnover put the Jaguars in scoring position, but the Jaguars failed to take advantage of the fumble by missing a field goal.
CEH DISAPPEARING ACT
The Chiefs shook up the backfield in Week 7, preferring rookie Isiah Pacheco as the starter over Clyde Edwards-Helaire before the Week 8 bye.
Three games into the experiment, there should be no doubt who the No. 1 guy is going forward.
Pacheco started yet again, and totaled 82 yards on 16 carries. Edwards-Helaire, meanwhile, finished the game with no carries. He was targeted twice in the game but didn’t record a catch.
As a team, the Chiefs pounded out 155 yards rushing on 27 carries, averaging 5.7 yards per attempt.
INJURIES
Wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster left midway through the second quarter after getting leveled by Jaguars safety Andre Cisco. Smith-Shuster was on the ground for a few minutes before he was able to get off field with arms wrapped around teammates. Athletic trainers took him straight to the locker room, and the team later placed him the concussion protocol and ruled him out.
Cornerback Chris Lammons entered the concussion protocol in the second quarter was later ruled out.
Right tackle Andew Wylie suffered a right elbow injury in the second quarter and did not return. Prince Tega Wanogho filled in for Wylie.
NOT SUITED UP
Wide receiver Mecole Hardman (abdomen), running back Ronald Jones, quarterback Shane Buechele, defensive end Joshua Kaindoh, rookie offensive lineman Darian Kinnard and rookie defensive back Nazeeh Johnson did not play.
UP NEXT
The Chiefs travel to Los Angeles in Week 11 to take on the Chargers at SoFi Stadium.
