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Chiefs-Saints LIVE updates: The Chiefs lead 16-7 at halftime


Chiefs-Saints LIVE updates: The Chiefs lead 16-7 at halftime

NFL Week 5 action concludes with the Kansas City Chiefs (4-0) hosting the (2-2) New Orleans Saints for “Monday Night Football” at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. The reigning Super Bowl champions hope to extend their 10-game winning streak that began last season – and enter the bye week as one of the league's undefeated teams. Meanwhile, New Orleans hopes to rebound from two straight losses and force a three-way tie at the top of the NFC South.


First quarter


The Saints won the coin toss and elected to preserve. Harrison Butker's kickoff landed in the end zone, putting the Saints at their own 30-yard line. The Chiefs nearly took New Orleans off the field with a three-and-out, with running back Alvin Kamara appearing certain he would be tackled in the backfield on third-and-outs. But Kamara fended off several tackles and gained nine yards to the 48-yard line. The Saints broke up another nine-yard run by Jamal Williams, and the Chiefs' longtime nemesis Derek Carr moved the chains with a short throw to Chris Olave. On the next play, however, safety Bryan Cook intercepted a long throw from Carr, giving the Chiefs possession at their own 22-yard line.

Kareem Hunt gained three yards on first down before Patrick Mahomes moved the chains by running for nine more yards on second down. Hunt would take handoffs on the next two plays to set up third-and-3 at the Kansas City 41-yard line. Mahomes found Kelce to move the chains. Mahomes was completely ahead of Kelce again on the next play, getting to the Saints 35-yard line before the two connected for six more yards on first down. An eight-yard carry by Hunt brought the drive into the red zone. Mahomes continued to focus on the tight end position when Noah Gray caught a pass at the five-yard line. One play later, Hunt scored his first touchdown since returning to the Chiefs with a five-yard run. Harrison Butker's extra point opened the score at Chiefs 7, Saints 0.

Butker's second kickoff again resulted in a touchback to the 30-yard line. This time the Saints were spared a three-and-out play, with Carr missing an opportunity to throw deep before Chamarri Conner dropped Mason Tipton on the perimeter, giving just a two-yard gain on third-and-7. Mecole Hardman received a punt from rookie Matthew Hayball at the Kansas City 16-yard line before returning it seven yards to the 23-yard line to start the Chiefs' second drive.

The Chiefs equalized with a three-pointer after a missed screen pass to Hunt and a subsequent short run. A penalty by tackle Jawaan Taylor set up third-and-12 from the 21-yard line. Mahomes was incomplete, forcing a punt from Matt Araiza. After a 56-yard punt, a 12-yard return by Rashid Shaheed was negated by a hold call, starting the Saints' third drive at their own 23-yard line.

A false start initiated the possession with a five-yard penalty. Kamara scored on first-and-15 for a two-yard gain. Carr appeared to find Shahid on the sideline on second down, but he couldn't get downfield. On third-and-13 from the 20-yard line, Carr missed the ball badly again, ending with another three-and-out. Hardman received Hayball's punt at the 27-yard line before a 13-yard return put the Chiefs back on the field at their own 40-yard line.

Hunt completed a seven-yard first down carry. Another tight end provided Mahomes' fifth completion as Jody Fortson moved the chains in his first game against the Chiefs. Carson Steele rumbled an eight-yard carry to the Saints' 40-yard line. Kelce's fourth reception gave the Chiefs a new set of downs at the 35-yard line. The first quarter ended with an 8-yard carry by Hunt, setting up second-and-2 from the Saints' 28-yard line on the other side of the break.


Second quarter


Mahomes appeared to be safely sacked on the first play of the quarter before finding Hunt, who made the dump-off throw for 15 yards to the Saints' 15-yard line. Mahomes' first completion to a wide receiver finally came, with a glorious handoff to Hardman for a five-yard gain. Mahomes appeared to score a touchdown against Gray on the next play, but Taylor was forced to call a costly penalty to set up second-and-15 from the 18-yard line. Mahomes found Kelce for a ten-yard gain. On third down, Mahomes missed running back Samaje Perine to force a 26-yard field goal from Butker. The best kicker in the league extended the lead to Chiefs 10 and Saints 0.

Williams used Butker's kickoff for a short return, starting the Saints' drive at their own 26-yard line. The running back then took the first carry of the possession but only reached the line of scrimmage. However, two plays later, Carr found Kamara on third down, giving the Saints their first new down since the start of the first quarter. The drive moved into Chiefs territory two plays later when a pass to Shaheed reached the 44-yard line. After a short Kamara run, Carr and Shaheed connected for a 43-yard touchdown. Blake Grupe's extra point cut the lead to Chiefs 10, Saints 7.

Skyy Moore dropped Grupe's kickoff at the four-yard line before returning the ball 16 yards to start the Chiefs at their own 20-yard line. Hunt started the drive with a four-yard carry, but after the play left tackle Wanya Morris, left on the field line, grabbed his knee. On the first play behind rookie Kingsley Suamataia since Week 2, Mahomes threw the ball away under pressure. The face of the league was able to fight for a first down on the next play. Passes to JuJu Smith-Schuster and Xavier Worthy quickly brought the drive to the New Orleans 43-yard line. After an injury timeout to tend to Saints safety Will Harris, Hunt completed a first down carry for three yards. On the next play, with a four-tight end package on the field, Kelce converted for a first down at the 32-yard line. Disaster struck on the next play when Steele failed to complete the end-around against Worthy for second-and-24. That deficit quickly turned into second-and-34 when Trey Smith was held. Miraculously, the Chiefs nearly evened things up with a 12-yard pass to Smith-Schuster before Kelce threw a sideways pass to Perine on the next play. Kansas City kept the offense on the field for the fourth time from the 24-yard line before the Saints called their first timeout of the half.

Hunt moved the chains on the next play to continue the drive. After another two-yard rush, the first half reached the two-minute warning as the Chiefs found themselves in the red zone and faced second-and-8 from the Saints' 19-yard line.

Mahomes was sacked for a six-yarder by former Commanders' top draft pick Chase Young on the next play, and the Saints promptly called their second timeout. A third-down throw to Perine only reached the 16-yard line, setting up another short field goal. Butker was good from 34 yards and extended the lead to Chiefs 13, Saints 7.

Williams returned the kickoff, starting the Saints at their own 21-yard line with 1:26 left in the half and no timeouts. Carr started with a long throw to Tipton, but the wideout landed out of bounds. Tight end Juwan Johnson gained just four yards on second down before linebacker Nick Bolton brought down Kamara on a screen in the backfield to force the three-and-out. Hardman picked up Hayball's punt at the 31-yard line and returned it to the Kansas City 36-yard line to start the possession with 58 seconds left and the Chiefs still had a timeout.

Mahomes narrowly missed Worthy on first down. He found Smith-Schuster deep on the next play as the veteran moved the drive to the New Orleans 33-yard line. Two more throws to Smith-Schuster brought the ball to the 18-yard line, where the Chiefs took their final timeout with 27 seconds left. The drive would then stall after an eight-yard throw to Kelce. A 28-yard field goal extended the lead to Chiefs 16 and Saints 7.

Shaheed took the kickoff from the back of the end zone and saw the clock hit triple zeros as he went out of bounds at the Saints' 32-yard line.


Injuries


Tackle Wanya Morris appeared to hurt his knee on a running play in the second quarter. Morris later returned to the field during the drive.

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