The Chiefs defense came into Sunday’s game with the Seahawks without a rushing touchdown allowed during the 2014 season.
They’re leaving the game the same way and it’s a big reason why they were 24-20 winners at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday. The Chiefs stoned Marshawn Lynch on the goal-line in the fourth quarter to keep their lead intact and then came up with another fourth-down stop a bit later in the quarter and a Dontari Poe sack in the final seconds to put the final touches on their seventh victory of the season.
The win is the fifth in a row for the Chiefs and it leaves them with the same record as the Broncos after 10 games. The Broncos beat the Chiefs earlier this year, but they’ll get a rematch at home in Week 13. Should the Chiefs defense show up with its impeccable sense of timing again in that game, the Chiefs will have a good chance to add to Denver’s newfound Missouri malaise.
The play of the Chiefs defense wasn’t always up to the same snuff as the Seahawks still rolled up 204 yards on the ground, but they made the plays when needed and the Seahawks can’t say the same. The game opened with the Chiefs rolling up first downs on a nine minute drive for a touchdown and Jamaal Charles broke free for a 47-yard run that helped the Chiefs jump back into the lead shortly after Seattle moved in front on a Tony Moeaki touchdown.
Charles had 159 rushing yards overall, his biggest day of the season and his two touchdowns helped make his second half fumble a footnote to the proceedings.
The loss drops the Seahawks to 6-4, which makes it almost impossible to overstate the importance of the next two weeks against the Cardinals and 49ers to their playoff chances. They outgained the Chiefs on Sunday and won the turnover battle, but couldn’t land their punches in the big moments and the game went the other way. That can’t happen in the next two weeks or the their title defense will be over before the leftover turkey sandwiches.