Chiefs seize control of game late to hand Eagles their 1st loss

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Eagles kept it close. But close doesn’t count for much. 

Carson Wentz and the Eagles went into Arrowhead Stadium, stayed with the Chiefs and even had a small lead for a while in the second half but couldn't walk away with what would have been a huge victory.

Eventually, Andy Reid's Chiefs pulled away and beat the Eagles, 27-20, Sunday afternoon at a raucous Arrowhead Stadium (see Roob's observations)

Nelson Agholor scored a touchdown with eight seconds left to pull a little closer, but the Eagles didn't have enough time for a comeback. Even after they recovered the onside kick and gave themselves a chance, Wentz's Hail Mary pass fell incomplete. 

The Eagles actually had the ball in the fourth quarter with a chance to take a lead but turned it over and the Chiefs took control. Instead of driving down the field and putting his stamp on the game, Wentz threw an ill-advised pass that was intercepted. 

With the loss, the Eagles are 1-1 heading into the home opener next week against the Giants. They missed out on what would have been a tremendous win against a team that pulled off a huge upset over the Patriots in Week 1. 

Turning point
On 3rd-and-12, Wentz threw the ball into the helmet of Justin Houston, it fluttered into the air and was picked off by Chris Jones. That set up the Chiefs in Eagles territory and led to the game-winning touchdown. Had Wentz just thrown an incompletion, the Eagles punt and live to fight another day. Instead, their defense was pushed against a wall. 

On that drive, the Eagles had the ball with the score tied 13-13 and a chance to take a lead. Wentz scrambled for a first down, but then a negative run and an incomplete pass set up the long and disastrous third-down play. 

Key stat
The Eagles' offense was 1 for 4 in the red zone, while the Chiefs were 2 for 3. 

Big plays
• Kareem Hunt punched in a touchdown to extend the Chiefs' lead even more. Ball game. 

• Andy Reid dialed up the ol' shovel pass in the fourth quarter. This one went to Travis Kelce, who took it 15 yards to the house, flying into the end zone with an acrobatic play. Jordan Hicks dove but couldn't make the play. It gave the Chiefs their 20-13 lead. Just a minute before, Curry couldn't pull down Smith for a sack. 

• On a big 3rd-and-13, a play after taking a huge hit, Wentz was able to scramble and dive for a first down in the fourth quarter that helped to set up new kicker Jake Elliott's 40-yard field goal that tied the game 13-13. 

• He had just eight yards before it, but Hunt broke off a 53-yard touchdown run in the third quarter to give the Chiefs a 13-10 lead. The Eagles' second-team defensive line was pushed around on the play and Corey Graham, in for Rodney McLeod, couldn’t make a play. 

• Wentz hit Alshon Jeffery for a 16-yard touchdown in the third quarter to give the Eagles a 10-6 lead. Jeffery was initially ruled down at the 1-yard line but a quick replay showed he rolled into the end zone for a touchdown. He celebrated after it was shown on the big screen before the call was even finalized. Wentz was 5 for 5 for 70 yards on the drive (see report card)

• In the final seconds of the first half, the ball somehow ended up in Zach Ertz's hands after Chiefs DB Terrance Mitchell couldn't grab an easy interception. Ertz caught it in stride and went for a 53-yard gain. He was tackled with two seconds left, but Elliott missed a gimme 30-yard field goal. 

• Darren Sproles made a great move on a punt return but then fumbled the ball away. While the Eagles' defense held, the Chiefs were already in field goal range and took a 6-3 lead. 

• Torrey Smith dropped what should have been a touchdown in the first quarter on a back-shoulder throw from Wentz. In a close game, those points would have been huge. 

• The Chiefs were called for a defensive hold on 2nd-and-20 that gave the Eagles new life on their first-quarter field goal drive. It led to their only points of the first half. 

• Travis Kelce shook free of Malcolm Jenkins on the first drive of the game for a 44-yard gain but the Eagles held the Chiefs to a field goal on the drive. 

Offensive stud
After a disappointing debut, Jeffery had a big game on Sunday. He had seven catches for 92 yards and his first touchdown with his new team. 

Offensive dud
Isaac Seumalo didn't look very good. The Eagles' left guard gave up two way-too-easy sacks in the first half and another two the fourth quarter. Of the six times Wentz was sacked Sunday, Seumalo's man got four of them. 

The Eagles could use veteran Allen Barbre right about now. Instead, they named Seumalo the starter during camp and traded Barbre to Denver for a seventh-rounder. 

Defensive stud
We'll just give this to the Eagles' entire pass rush. They had Smith running all day and were constantly in his face. It looks like the strength of the team. 

Defensive dud
Curry actually had a good game but he couldn't drag down Smith on that key third down in the fourth quarter and it set up the game-winning touchdown. 

Injuries
Ronald Darby (ankle) and Destiny Vaeao (wrist) were ruled out earlier in the week and missed Sunday's game. Corey Graham (hamstring) was active after being listed as questionable heading into the weekend. 

Rodney McLeod and Jaylen Watkins both left the game in the first half with hamstring injuries and did not return. The game-time temperature was near 70 degrees with 95 percent humidity, so it might have played a role. Rasul Douglas came in at corner and Graham came in at safety.

Up next 
The Eagles will face the division-rival Giants at the Linc next week for the home opener. The Eagles split their two games against the Giants last year.

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