Chiefs 21-14 Dolphins: Travis Kelce and co. win without Taylor Swift

Kansas City Chiefs 21-14 Miami Dolphins: Travis Kelce and co. shake off defeat in Denver to clinch win – despite Taylor Swift not making the trip to support her NFL beau again

  • Taylor Swift did not travel to Frankfurt but the Chiefs still clinched a victory 
  • Patrick Mahomes found 11 different receivers to brush off last week’s defeat 
  • DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news

Taylor Swift did not make it to Frankfurt. But nor did the Chiefs’ drops and red zone issues as Kansas City held off a second-half comeback by the Miami Dolphins to win 21-14.

Patrick Mahomes found 11 different receivers to ensure last week’s defeat by Denver has been well and truly washed away after this win over a fellow AFC contender snatched a valuable tie-breaker.

Tyreek Hill was kept quiet. Playing against his former team, the Dolphins receiver’s most notable contribution was being on the wrong end of a strip and score, which saw the Chiefs go 21-0 up at the half.

Hill had been bragging before the game, saying: ‘They gon’ get this work wherever. Y’all rather get that bulletin board material.’ But Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie vowed to keep his former team-mate quiet and did his speaking on the pitch.

It means the Dolphins have now lost against Buffalo, Philadelphia and Kansas City, the only three teams they have faced with winning records.

Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Miami Dolphins in Germany Sunday 

Patrick Mahomes found 11 different receivers to shake off last week’s defeat in Denver

Kelce played without the support of girlfriend once again after the pop star enjoyed a girls’ night out in New York City Saturday with Selena Gomez (right) and Brittany Mahomes (left)

And Travis Kelce – who said the whereabouts of his pop princess beau affects Vegas lines before games – was restricted to only seven yards off three receptions as Noah Gray was the Chiefs top tight end.

Kansas City, who were nominally the home team, only arrived in Frankfurt on Friday. But buoyed by a boisterous crowd, they immediately looked at home.

It helps when you have a quarterback like Mahomes, who looked lights out. The opening drive began with a 22-yard gain to Marques Valdes-Scantling. It ended with Rashee Rice shrugging off four flailing tackles for an 11-yard score – the first on an opening drive for the Chiefs this season.

This was nominally a home game for KC and the Chiefs Kingdom made sure that a little piece of Germany resembled Arrowhead, albeit 5,000 miles away.

The Dolphins began with some trademark flash plays – a razzle-dazzle saw Jaylen Waddle gain 31 yards – but their high-powered offense barely got out of first gear.

Struggling on the air and the ground, they failed to score on their first three drives for the first time this season. Miami were 0 and 6 on third downs – only completed their first midway through the third quarter.

Miami’s defense were exhausted by a 13-play, 95-yard drive which took 8min 28secs off the clock as the Chiefs stamped their authority.

Rice made an outstanding diving catch on third down – one of only two in the series. The other saw Mahomes finding a wide open Jerick McKinnon with a 19-yard touchdown pass to put KC 14-0 up at the two-minute warning.

Kansas City only arrived in Frankfurt on Friday but they immediately looked at home

Star tight end Kelce was restricted to only seven yards off three receptions by the Do’phins 

Tyreek Hill (left) was kept quiet by his former team, despite bragging before the matchup 

But if that was tiring, the Dolphins were shattered shortly after by a strip and score.

Hill snared Tagovailoa’s pass on a screen, but could not avoid the onrushing Trent McDuffie. Mike Edwards recovered the fumble, lateraled the ball to Bryan Cook, then made a key block as his fellow safety rushed 59 yards for a wild score.

Yet with the score still at 21-0, there was suddenly a glimmer of hope for Miami midway through the third quarter. Cedrick Wilson Jr outjumped McDuffie to snare Tagovailoa’s 31-yard pass in the right hand corner.

Not for the first time, Mahomes looked rattled. Bradley Chubb rushed straight through the middle for a strip sack, Zach Sieler making the recovery deep in Chiefs territory. It was the fourth consecutive game with a sack for Chubb, who breathed life into the stadium.

Aided by a costly penalty by Chiefs DE Chris Jones – his shove on Miami tackle Austin Jackson negated a third down stop – Mostert rushed for a 31-yard score – only the third rushing touchdown Chiefs had conceded this season.

Suddenly, it looked like a game. It went to the wire – at the two-minute warning, Miami were in midfield. A burst from Mostert moved them to the Chiefs 31.

With the game on the line at fourth and 10, Tagovailoa fumbled Connor Williams’ poor snap and the Chiefs held on for a win.

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