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The Kansas City Chiefs remained perfect on Monday with a 30-24 overtime win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to improve to 8-0 on the year.
The Chiefs trailed heading into the fourth quarter, but scored 14 straight points to take the lead late. Baker Mayfield and the Bucs then mounted a 71-yard drive to tie things up before their defense stopped Kansas City on the other end to send the game to overtime.
In overtime, the Chiefs got the ball first and Patrick Mahomes led them down the field before Kareem Hunt walked it off with a short touchdown on the ground.
In their second game together, Mahomes and wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins found their connection. Hopkins, who Kansas City acquired from the Tennessee Titans in October, had 86 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns. It was the second-most receiving yards he’s had this season and his first game with multiple touchdowns.
Mahomes finished with 291 passing yard and three touchdowns, Travis Kelce being his favorite target as the tight end brought in 14 receptions for 100 yards. Hunt had a successful day in the backfield with 106 rushing yards and a touchdown.
After the win, fans hyped up the connection between Mahomes and Hopkins as the Chiefs continued rolling.
Lawrence Smelser @LawrenceSmelser
DeAndre Hopkins going from Will Levis and the Titans to Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. pic.twitter.com/5qvfxzluQi
Hopkins, in his 12th year in the league, was off to a slow start with the Titans’ sluggish offense. He had just 173 receiving yards and a touchdown through six games, but his struggles had less to do with himself and more to do with the situation.
Now he’s catching passes from one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL and it could be exactly what he needed to have a strong second act to his career.
The Chiefs were in desperate need of a receiver after injuries to Rashee Rice, JuJu Smith-Schuster and more, and they got that in Hopkins. Now Kansas City seems well-equipped to win yet another Super Bowl.
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