Patrick Mahomes threw three touchdown passes and Clyde Edwards-Helaire found the end zone twice to fuel the visiting Kansas City Chiefs to a 41-31 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.Mahomes completed 23 of 37 passes for 249 yards to exact a small measure of revenge for Kansas City's 31-9 loss to Tom Brady and the Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV.Mahomes also reached the 20,000-yard passing mark in his 67th career game, besting the previous NFL record of then-Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford (71 games).Travis Kelce reeled in nine catches for 92 yards and a touchdown for the Chiefs (3-1), while fellow tight ends Noah Gray and Jody Fortson also found the end zone.Edwards-Helaire, who had a rushing and receiving touchdown, had 19 carries for 92 yards. Kansas City enjoyed a decisive 189-3 edge in yards on the ground.Brady completed 39 of 52 passes for 385 yards and tossed three touchdown passes, including two to Mike Evans (eight catches, 103 yards).Rookie Rachaad White had a rushing touchdown to atone for his fumble on the opening kickoff. Leonard Fournette added a receiving score for the Buccaneers (2-2), who surrendered 28 points in the first half after allowing 27 over the first three games of the season.Tampa Bay found itself in hot water early after Elijah Lee recovered White's fumble. Kansas City cashed in two plays later as Mahomes found Kelce over the middle for a 16-yard touchdown.

The Kansas City Chiefs ruled out kicker Harrison Butker for Sunday night's game against the host Tampa Bay Buccaneers.Butker has missed each of the Chiefs' last three games due to a left ankle injury he sustained in the team's season-opening win over the Arizona Cardinals.Butker, 27, has made 90.2 percent of his field-goal attempts (147 of 163) in 78 games with the Chiefs dating back to 2017.Kicker Matthew Wright and linebacker Elijah Lee were elevated from the team's practice squad on Saturday.

Sunday night's NFL game in Tampa, Fla., will take place as originally scheduled.There were concerns all week that the effects of Hurricane Ian might force the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to relocate their Week 4 contest against the Kansas City Chiefs.The Buccaneers (2-1) confirmed Thursday that Sunday's primetime clash against the Chiefs (2-1) is still set for 8:20 p.m. ET at Raymond James Stadium. The NFL had selected U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis as a contingency site for the game."Our thoughts and prayers remain with the many thousands in the Southwest Florida region who have been severely impacted by Hurricane Ian," read a statement from the Bucs.

Patrick Mahomes and the visiting Kansas City Chiefs are prepared to test their mettle against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a high-profile showdown on Sunday night.As of now, the game remains scheduled for Tampa, Fla. Hurricane Ian, however, made landfall in western Florida on Wednesday, forcing the NFL to adopt the contingency plan of Minneapolis for Sunday's contest.While expressing sympathy for those affected by Mother Nature, Mahomes said the plan remains the same as the Chiefs (2-1) brace for the Buccaneers (2-1)."For us, it's an away game regardless," Mahomes said Wednesday. "So, you're going to be going somewhere else to play. So, you just have to focus on the gameplan, and try to prepare yourself that way."Mahomes and Brady are no strangers to one another, with the former holding a 2-1 edge in regular-season play while the latter has gotten the better of both postseason matchups. Brady guided the New England Patriots to a win over Kansas City in the AFC Championship Game of the 2018 season before quarterbacking the Buccaneers past the Chiefs in Super Bowl LV.Tampa Bay's defense arguably was the star of the show in that game and can make that same claim this season by surrendering a league-best 9.0 points per game.Linebacker Shaq Barrett provided some bulletin board material on Wednesday by comparing the Chiefs' offensive line that took the field on that day to the current one."I really don't think it's too much of a difference," Barrett said with a laugh. "I think we have a lot of favorable matchups. We have an opportunity to really dominate the game. I think we've got an opportunity to really impose our will as pass-rushers, as edge rushers in this game. We can really have a coming-out party."Brady, however, appears to be waiting for the party to start this season. The three-time NFL MVP has thrown for just 673 yards and three touchdowns in three games after setting franchise records in both categories last season (5,316, 43).Brady, 45, threw for 271 yards and one touchdown in Tampa Bay's 14-12 setback to Green Bay last Sunday.Russell Gage had 12 catches for 87 yards and a score for the Buccaneers, who played without wideouts Mike Evans (suspension), Julio Jones and Chris Godwin.

Matt Ryan threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Jelani Woods with 24 seconds left as the Indianapolis Colts stunned the visiting Kansas City Chiefs 20-17 on Sunday afternoon.Ryan passed for 222 yards and both his touchdown passes were to the rookie Woods. Rodney McLeod intercepted a deflected pass with two seconds remaining, Jonathan Taylor rushed for 71 yards and Michael Pittman Jr. caught eight passes for 72 yards for Indianapolis (1-1-1).Patrick Mahomes passed for 262 yards, one touchdown and one interception for the Chiefs (2-1). Mahomes fell to 13-3 in 16 career September starts.Clyde Edwards-Helaire rushed for a touchdown and Travis Kelce had a scoring reception for Kansas City. Nick Bolton had two of the Chiefs' five sacks.The Colts possessed the ball for eight minutes, 14 seconds on their decisive drive as they moved 76 yards on 16 plays.The Kansas City defense appeared to be getting off the field when Bolton sacked Ryan to set up fourth-and-14 with 4:48 remaining. But Chris Jones said something to Ryan and was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct and the 15-yard penalty gave Indianapolis the ball near midfield.Later on the drive, Ryan hit Alec Pierce for 14 yards to the Kansas City 12. Two plays later, Ryan hit Woods for the go-ahead score.Kansas City outgained the Colts 315 to 259.The Chiefs controlled the ball for the first 7:04 of the third quarter with Matt Ammendola booting a 26-yard field goal for a 17-10 lead. Indianapolis received a 51-yard field goal from Chase McLaughlin to pull within four with 2:53 left.

Kansas City kicker Harrison Butker will miss his second straight game due to a left ankle injury when the Chiefs visit the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.Butker injured his plant leg during the season-opening win over the Arizona Cardinals.Matt Ammendola will again be Kansas City's place-kicker this week. He booted field goals of 19 and 31 yards and made all three extra points during a 27-24 home win over the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 2.Butker has made 90.2 percent of his field-goal attempts (147 of 163) in 78 games with the Chiefs dating back to 2017.

The Indianapolis Colts are surprisingly winless and face a tough test when they host the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.The offseason acquisition of quarterback Matt Ryan led to high expectations for the Colts (0-1-1), but they bottomed out quickly with a tie against the Houston Texans and an ugly 24-0 loss to the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars.Now Indianapolis is feeling the heat from the poor start as it plays one of the AFC's top teams in Kansas City (2-0)."I certainly had high expectations coming in," said Ryan, who was acquired from the Atlanta Falcons. "And you certainly don't think you're going to be 0-1-1. That's just not in the competitor's mindset. We are where we are, and I think being realistic about where we're at is important. It has to be brutal honesty."Ryan threw three interceptions and was sacked five times in the loss to Jacksonville. The Colts had just 218 yards and nine first downs.Indianapolis head coach Frank Reich said there is no need to panic."We look at a bad loss, and you have to resist temptation to overreact," Reich said. "Every great coach I've been around, I hear the same thing. It's not about making things more complex or making overhaul changes. We just have to do it better."The Colts only need to look back one season to recall how damaging a poor start can be. Indianapolis dropped its first three games to make it an uphill climb and later lost its last two games to narrowly miss a playoff berth.Kansas City is off to a strong start while pursuing its eighth consecutive postseason berth.The Chiefs averaged 35.5 points while beating the Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Chargers in their first two games.Quarterback Patrick Mahomes is completing 73 percent of his passes for 595 yards, seven touchdowns and no interceptions.The fast start continues a career-long pattern for Mahomes. He has thrown 48 touchdown passes against three interceptions in 15 September starts. The Chiefs are 13-2 in those games.Mahomes points to the offseason and training camp as the reason for the pattern of early success.

The NFL suspended Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Willie Gay Jr. four games for a violation of the league's personal conduct policy.Gay was arrested in January for misdemeanor property damage after he broke a vacuum cleaner during an argument with the mother of his child. There were no reports of anyone being harmed in the incident.Gay reached a plea agreement to avoid trial, which involved him entering a diversion program.

Rookie Jaylen Watson returned an interception 99 yards for a touchdown to help the Kansas City Chiefs rally for a 27-24 victory over the visiting Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday night.Patrick Mahomes passed for 235 yards and two touchdowns for the Chiefs (2-0). Jerick McKinnon and Justin Watson caught touchdown passes as Kansas City defeated the Chargers for the 14th time in the past 17 meetings.Justin Herbert threw for 334 yards and three touchdowns in addition to the costly fourth-down interception for Los Angeles (1-1). Herbert took a hit from Michael Danna with 5:01 remaining and played through pain in his left rib area for the rest of the contest.The Chargers' Mike Williams caught eight passes for 113 yards and one touchdown, and Zander Horvath and Joshua Palmer also had scoring receptions.Jaylen Watson, a seventh-round pick this year out of Washington State, jumped the throw from Herbert to Gerald Everett, picked it off and raced downfield to give Kansas City a 24-17 lead with 10:29 remaining. The play matched the fourth-longest interception return in Chiefs history.Later, Clyde Edwards-Helaire broke loose for a 52-yard gain and a 15-yard facemask penalty on Los Angeles' Derwin James Jr. was tacked on to put the ball at the Chargers' 18-yard line. The long run set by a 31-yard field goal by Matt Ammendola that increased Kansas City's lead to 10 with 3:20 to play.Herbert pulled the Chargers within three on a 7-yard scoring pass to Palmer with 1:11 left. Kansas City recovered the ensuing onside kick and ran out the clock.Los Angeles played without five-time Pro Bowl receiver Keenan Allen (hamstring).The Chargers took a 17-7 advantage when Williams made a one-handed catch of Herbert's throw for a 15-yard scoring pass with 9:52 left in the third quarter. Williams made the grab despite tight coverage by Kansas City's L'Jarius Sneed.

Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker has been ruled out for Thursday night's game against the Los Angeles Chargers with a sprained ankle.Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Tuesday that Butker had swelling in the ankle. Butker was injured in Sunday's win over the Arizona Cardinals.Multiple outlets reported that practice-squad kicker Matt Ammendola will replace Butker against the Chargers. Ammendola appeared in 11 games for the Jets last season, going 13-for-19 on field goals and 14-for-15 on extra-point attempts.Chiefs safety Justin Reid went 1-for-2 on extra-point attempts Sunday and took over kickoff duties.The Chiefs restructured Butker's contract earlier Wednesday, creating $1.46 million in cap space, per reports. The Chiefs ranked 28th in cap space when the season kicked off, per overthecap.com.

Los Angeles Chargers (1-0) at Kansas City Chiefs (1-0)at Kansas City, Mo.GEHA Field at Arrowhead StadiumThursday, 8:15 p.m. ETThe Line: Chiefs -4 (-110); Total points 54.5 (-110)Last meeting: December 16, 2021: Chiefs 34, Chargers 28 (OT)On the dog: The Chargers are +175 to win straight up (Caesars Sportsbook).Now Trending, plus context: The Chargers were 7-9 against the spread in 2021, but a lot has changed. Namely, the arrival of outside linebacker Khalil Mack and cornerback J.C. Jackson to bolster a defense that couldn't get off the field in the second half of games last season. Mack already has 3.0 sacks, so good luck to those quarterbacks counting on a late game-winning drive against Mack and Joey Bosa.Mack is a man after your trend-loving heart with at least 0.5 sacks in five career meetings with the Chiefs. Note DraftKings is offering a boost to Mack over 0.75 sacks at +140.In total, the Chargers had six sacks and three interceptions last week and Jackson sat out while recovering from August foot surgery.Then again, refer back to last week and the Chargers went from a 17-3 lead and borderline cruise control to a furious fight and 24-19 win.The Skinny: Austin Ekeler was one of the most popular anytime TD scorer bets in Week 1 and he didn't sniff the end zone for the Chargers in a win that featured scores by fullback Zander Horvath and wide receiver DeAndre Carter.Those aren't exactly household names -- even in Los Angeles -- but the exhibit shows the ability of Justin Herbert and Patrick Mahomes to flex in schemes that are limited more by imagination than personnel.The Chargers hit Kansas City on a short week with a few key injuries of note factoring into investment opportunities.Wide receiver Keenan Allen had four receptions for 55 yards in a little over a quarter vs. the Raiders, but he's out with a hamstring injury. That means Carter, a third receiver behind 2021 TD machine Mike Williams, is again in play for Herbert.Underline that name considering the Chiefs won't have first-round cornerback Trent McDuffie (hamstring), who was hurt in a gold-star performance at Arizona in Week 1.Spinning Props: A glance at the player props market with relevant intel to apply to your Thursday strategy.

The narrative that the Kansas City Chiefs might have diminished firepower after the offseason departure of Tyreek Hill was quelled when quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw five touchdown passes in the club's season-opening win over the Arizona Cardinals.The Chiefs will aim to follow up the strong performance when they host their AFC West rival, the Los Angeles Chargers, on Thursday night.Kansas City (1-0) totaled 488 offensive yards and 33 first downs in the 44-21 road win over Arizona. And the offseason trade of the speedy Hill to the Miami Dolphins was a non-factor as Mahomes passed for 360 yards and became the sixth player in NFL history to throw five touchdowns on six or more occasions.The four-time Pro Bowler didn't seem to be the least bit surprised, either."Everybody's asked us the questions of what this offense, what this team's going to look like," Mahomes told reporters. "We've always believed that we were going to go out there and put on a show, and I thought guys did that."Tight end Travis Kelce no longer shares co-star billing on the receiving end with Hill gone, and he was in top form.Kelce, a seven-time Pro Bowler, had eight catches for 121 yards for his 30th career 100-yard performance. That ranks third among tight ends behind Rob Gronkowski (32) and Chiefs legend Tony Gonzalez (31).Kelce was one of the players who wondered if the offense could remain so potent before eventually becoming convinced it could."Once I saw how hard guys were working, their attention to details, how Pat keeps progressing as a quarterback," Kelce said. "Right now, we're in a good kind of routine where we just keep getting better. You can feel that from the day we started."Preparing for Kansas City is typically tough, but this time the Chargers have to do it on a short week.Defensive coordinator Renaldo Hill said his unit will need to force the ball out of Mahomes' hands as quickly as possible."The biggest thing you talk about is can we make him perform from the pocket and not extend plays because once he gets out the pocket, he's a whole other animal," Hill said. "Obviously, he can make the throws from in the pocket, but when you have time to extend plays, and we talk about when we do face him, we tell our guys, ‘Hey, we have to cover not twice, a lot of times three, four times because that's how much he can extend the play.'"

Kansas City kicker Harrison Butker missed practice Tuesday with an ankle sprain as the Chiefs mull options on a short week in the event he can't play Thursday night.Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Butker is day-to-day."I think if it was just a pain thing, I think he'd bear through that," Reid said. "But he's got some swelling in there. So, I think it's a matter of him being functional enough to do it. He's a tough kid, we'll just see how it works out."We've got plan B and we're working on it," Reid added.The Chiefs reportedly signed former Jets kicker Matt Ammendola to their practice squad on Monday.The Chiefs also placed rookie cornerback Trent McDuffie (hamstring) on injured reserve. The first-round draft pick will have to miss at least four games. McDuffie started and played 49 percent of the Chiefs' defensive snaps against Arizona in Week 1, recording a tackle.

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker is questionable to return after suffering an ankle injury on a kickoff against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.Butker was injured after the first kickoff and was successful on the PAT after the second touchdown. He reached the end zone on both his kickoffsWhen Kansas City later scored a touchdown to take a 20-7 lead, safety Justin Reid missed the extra point wide right. However, Reid did reach the end zone on the ensuing kickoff.

The Kansas City Chiefs are working out kicker Tristan Vizcaino on Monday in the event that Harrison Butker's ankle injury sidelines him for Week 2, according to multiple reports.The Chiefs are on a short week, hosting the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday night to open Week 2.Vizcaino kicked in six games for the Chargers in 2021, converting 10 of 15 extra points and making six of seven field goal attempts. He also kicked in a game for the San Francisco 49ers in 2020.Butker suffered an ankle injury after his first kickoff against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. His left plant foot seemed to slip and twist awkwardly on the kickoff. Butker went to the medical tent and eventually the locker room to get evaluated.He was successful on the PAT after the Chiefs' second touchdown but safety Justin Reid came on for the extra point attempt on their third touchdown, missing wide right.

Britt Reid, a former assistant coach for the Kansas City Chiefs and the son of head coach Andy Reid, pleaded guilty Monday to a felony charge of driving while intoxicated and causing serious physical injury.Reid, 37, admitted he was intoxicated on the night of Feb. 4, 2021, when he struck two cars stopped on the side of an interstate entrance ramp. The accident left 5-year-old Ariel Young with a traumatic brain injury and injured another child."I regret what I did. I made a huge mistake," Reid said during the 30-minute hearing. "I apologize to the family. I didn't mean to hurt anyone that night."As part of the plea deal, prosecutors will ask the judge to sentence Reid to no more than four years in prison. He faced up to seven years. His trial was scheduled to begin Sept. 26.Circuit Court Judge Charles H. McKenzie set the sentencing hearing for Oct. 28.Attorney Tom Porto, who's representing the crash victims, said the families are opposed to the plea agreement.

Patrick Mahomes threw for five touchdowns and the Kansas City Chiefs racked up 488 yards of total offense as they cruised past the Arizona Cardinals 44-21 on Sunday in the season opener for both teams in Glendale, Ariz.The Chiefs, who have appeared in the AFC Championship Game in each of the past four seasons, won their eighth consecutive season opener.Mahomes, who has played in the last five of those openers, moved the team with ease all afternoon, completing 30 of 39 passes for 360 yards. He was replaced by Chad Henne with just over five minutes remaining in the game.All six of Kansas City's touchdowns came in the red zone. Mahomes connected with Clyde Edwards-Helaire twice, and also found Travis Kelce, Mecole Hardman and Jody Fortson once. Rookie running back Isiah Pacheco added a 3-yard touchdown run and ended up leading the team in rushing with 62 yards on 12 carries.The Chiefs outgained Arizona 488-282, had 33 first downs to Arizona's 18 and averaged 7.4 yards per play to the Cardinals' 4.5.Kansas City started fast and built a 23-7 lead at halftime. Mahomes had three touchdown passes, two to Edwards-Helaire and one to Kelce.James Connor provided Arizona's only points of the first half with a 2-yard rushing touchdown.

Over the last four seasons, the NFL has witnessed Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes' capabilities on a first-hand basis.However, no one knows them more than Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury, who recruited Mahomes to Texas Tech. Now, he has to coach against him for the first time in the 2022 season opener when his Cardinals clash with the Chiefs in Glendale, Ariz., on Sunday.Admitting "it'll be a little surreal going against him," Kingsbury remains proud of what Mahomes has accomplished on and off the field."Just really proud of the person," Kingsbury said. "Just watching how he's grown up, the leadership qualities he shows on and off the field. I mean, anytime you watch him in any of those arenas, just how socially responsible he is, how he leads, how he treats people, the stuff he does in the community with charities, and he runs the gamut of what you want a sports star to be like and carry himself. And so that's been really special to watch that development."Kingsbury, of course, has watched the development of his own quarterback, Kyler Murray, who enters his fourth season after signing a five-year, $230 million contract extension a few days before the beginning of training camp.While Chiefs head coach Andy Reid will be preparing Mahomes and the offense to go against a depleted group of Arizona cornerbacks, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will have his hands full with Murray, even with wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins serving a six-game league suspension for a PED violation.They hope defensive end Frank Clark and defensive tackle Chris Jones will lead their teammates and keep Murray from destroying the game plan."Well, you have to say discipline, obviously," Reid said when asked about what he expects from the defensive line. "Speed becomes important. (Murray's) got speed, so there's a runner. So keeping them contained I think is important. As you work through it, that discipline becomes a big factor."But you always want the aggressiveness, you want speed, you want that transition between the run and the pass to be aggressive and fundamentally sound."Chiefs first-round pick Trent McDuffie is expected to start at one cornerback spot, and the secondary will have to deal with lightning-fast wide receiver Marquise Brown, acquired by the Cardinals on draft day from the Ravens for a first-round pick.

Britt Reid, a former assistant coach for the Kansas City Chiefs and the son of head coach Andy Reid, plans to plead guilty to a felony charge of driving while intoxicated causing serious physical injury.Reid is due back in circuit court next Monday, and his trial was scheduled to begin Sept. 26. A hearing notice posted Tuesday said Reid was expected to enter a guilty plea for the charge, for which he faces up to seven years in prison.The charge stems from an incident on Feb. 4, 2021, days before the Chiefs played in Super Bowl LV against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Reid, Kansas City's linebackers coach at the time, was allegedly driving drunk when he struck two cars stopped on the side of an interstate entrance ramp.The accident left 5-year-old Ariel Young with a traumatic brain injury and injured another child.Prosecutors in Kansas City said he had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.113 and was driving 83.9 mph at the time of the accident. Reid told police that he'd had two to three drinks and had also taken prescription Adderall.

Kansas City's crowded wide receiver room subtracted one notable name on Tuesday when the Chiefs released Josh Gordon.Gordon announced the move via social media, thanking "Chiefs kingdom" for supporting him and his family.An influx of wide receivers as Tyreek Hill was shipped to the Miami Dolphins made Gordon's standing with the team uncertain entering training camp.He was targeted five times in three preseason games in 2022 and had one reception in 67 total snaps, per NFL statistics.The Chiefs drafted Skyy Moore and signed JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling in free agency to go along with returning wideouts Mecole Hardman and Justin Watson, who was one of the team's preseason standouts.