Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs Overcome Slow Start, Beat Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins

The Kansas City Chiefs extended their winning streak to eight with a 33-27 win over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.

Patrick Mahomes overcame three interceptions—one more than he had all season entering the day—to help the Chiefs improve to 12-1, earning a 10th straight road victory in the process.  

Miami took advantage of some early Mahomes miscues to jump out to a surprising 10-0 lead, but Kansas City responded with 30 straight points to gain control at Hard Rock Stadium.

Tyreek Hill came through with a pair of long touchdowns to keep the visitors in front:

After the Dolphins stormed back with two fourth-quarter touchdowns to cut the lead to a single possession, it was Hill again who stepped up on a key fourth-down conversion to help seal the win.

The Dolphins (8-5) had been red-hot with seven wins in the last eight games, but even three Tua Tagovailoa touchdowns weren't enough to keep up with one of the best offenses in the NFL.

Notable Performances

Patrick Mahomes, QB, KC: 24-of-34, 393 passing yards, 2 TDs, 3 INTs

Travis Kelce, TE, KC: 8 catches, 136 receiving yards, 1 TD

Tyreek Hill, WR, KC: 3 catches, 79 receiving yards, 1 TD, 32 rushing yards, 1 TD

Tua Tagovailoa, QB, MIA: 28-of-48, 316 passing yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, 24 rushing yards, 1 TD

DeAndre Washington, RB, MIA: 13 carries, 35 rushing yards

Mike Gesicki, TE, MIA: 5 catches, 65 receiving yards, 2 TDs

Chiefs Playmakers Step Up After Slow Start from Patrick Mahomes

Quarterback play is usually the story for the Chiefs, but it was the other parts of the offense that stood out in this one.

Tyreek Hill scored on each of his first two touches of the game, while Mecole Hardman helped extend the lead in the third quarter with a punt returned for a touchdown:

Travis Kelce also got in on the action with his ninth score of the year:

It helped Mahomes finish with great numbers overall, something we have come to expect from the talented passer.

However, he didn't look like himself for much of this game.

Mahomes threw two interceptions in the first half, and the things that usually worked for him weren't going well at all:

Xavien Howard made it three interceptions with an impressive individual effort:

The results were extremely surprising from arguably the top quarterback in the game:

Mahomes still showed the poise that makes him so special, overcoming a slow start to ensure his team came away with another win. Of course, the talent around him made a major difference in this one.

Tua Tagovailoa Gives Dolphins Burst Despite Mistakes

Tagovailoa hasn't been perfect this year, but he showed plenty of upside in this game.

He threw two touchdown passes while making strong throws and impressing those watching along:

His late rushing touchdown then put his team within striking distance of an upset.

This came despite having a short-handed offense with Mike Gesicki, DeVante Parker and Jakeem Grant suffering injuries during the game, adding to the players already unavailable like Myles Gaskin and Salvon Ahmed.

There were some negative moments from the rookie, including his first career interception:

Tagovailoa also cost his team by taking a safety in the third quarter:

These issues might have been the difference in a close game, although there was plenty of blame to go around.

The young quarterback still showcased his overall talent and toughness in the comeback attempt to prove he can be a key part of the future in Miami.

What's Next?

The Chiefs will go on the road in Week 15 for a potential Super Bowl preview against the New Orleans Saints. The Dolphins will host the New England Patriots on Sunday for their final home game of the season.