Chargers’ defense comes up big in victory over rival Chiefs

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Derwin James Jr.’s interception of Kansas City Chiefs backup quarterback Gardner Minshew with 14 seconds remaining clinched the Chargers’ 16-13 victory Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium, moving them one step closer to their second consecutive playoff berth.

The Chargers are 10-4 with three regular-season games to play.

The Chiefs are 6-8, and all but eliminated from the postseason.

The Chargers swept both games from Kansas City and improved to 5-0 against the AFC West.

The Chargers took their first lead, 16-13, on Cameron Dicker’s 49-yard field goal with 51 seconds remaining in the third quarter. Dicker also kicked field goals of 49 and 23 yards and Justin Herbert threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to rookie wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith in the first three quarters.

Kansas City, desperate for a victory to keep its faint playoff hopes alive, managed only two field goals after Patrick Mahomes scored on a 12-yard scramble on the Chiefs’ opening possession and faced possible elimination entering the fourth quarter. A promising drive in the fourth ended with an interception.

Chargers safety Tony Jefferson was ejected after a hit that injured Chiefs receiver Tyquan Thornton, who had hauled in a pass from Mahomes for a 21-yard gain. Jefferson was initially penalized for unnecessary roughness and, after an altercation with several Chiefs, ejected.

Thornton entered the NFL’s concussion protocol after the hit.

Three plays later, Chargers linebacker Daiyan Henley intercepted Mahomes’ errant pass near the goal line, ending the Chiefs’ threat with 12:37 remaining in the game. Given a chance to put the game out of reach, the Chargers drove only as far as the Chiefs’ 44 before punting.

Mahomes suffered an apparent knee injury and left the game with 1:53 remaining. Da’Shawn Hand tripped him up on a scramble play in front of the Chiefs’ bench and Mahomes went down awkwardly. He walked gingerly to the sideline and was checked by athletic trainers.

More to come on this story.