KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Interstat) — Patrick Mahomes threw three touchdown passes and the Kansas City Chiefs erupted for 21 unanswered points in the second half to pull away from the Washington Commanders for a 28-7 victory on Monday night at a sold-out GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

A defensive struggle for the first 30 minutes gave way to a dominant Chiefs performance after halftime, improving their record to 5-3 across all competitions. The Commanders, meanwhile, saw their losing streak extended to three games, falling to 3-5 on the season.

A crowd of 73,569 watched as the two teams battled to a 7-7 stalemate in the first half, with both offenses struggling to find a consistent rhythm against stiff defensive efforts.

Washington’s defense set the tone early, intercepting Mahomes on the Chiefs’ first two possessions of the game. The first came from defensive end Mike Danna, who picked off a Marcus Mariota screen pass intended for Deebo Samuel. The second was snagged by linebacker Bobby Wagner, halting another promising Kansas City drive.

Despite the early opportunities, the Commanders failed to capitalize, punting after the first takeaway and seeing a long, methodical 15-play drive end with a missed field goal after the second.

The scoring drought finally ended late in the second quarter. Kansas City pieced together a 12-play, 68-yard drive capped by a 1-yard touchdown plunge from Kareem Hunt. The score was set up by a direct snap to receiver Rashee Rice, who initially appeared to score from 8 yards out before a replay review placed the ball at the 1-yard line.

Washington answered with an efficient two-minute drill. Mariota engineered a 9-play, 66-yard drive, finishing it with an 11-yard touchdown pass to Terry McLaurin with just 58 seconds remaining in the half. The play was initially ruled an incomplete pass but was overturned upon review, confirming the score and sending the teams into the locker room tied.

The complexion of the game changed entirely in the third quarter. The Chiefs received the second-half kickoff and marched 68 yards in 10 plays, with Mahomes finding Hunt again, this time on a 2-yard scoring pass to take a 14-7 lead.

After a Washington three-and-out, the Chiefs’ offense went back to work. Mahomes methodically dissected the Commanders’ defense, completing the drive with a 10-yard touchdown strike to Travis Kelce, extending the lead to 21-7.

Mahomes finished the night completing 25 of 34 passes for 299 yards, adding 30 yards on four scrambles. His favorite target was Kelce, who hauled in six catches for 99 yards and the third-quarter score. Rashee Rice was also instrumental, catching nine passes for 93 yards and adding a 7-yard run that set up the Chiefs’ first touchdown. He later capped the Kansas City scoring with an 18-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter.

The Commanders’ offense, which moved the ball effectively in the first half, was completely stifled after the break. Mariota completed 21 of 30 passes for 213 yards and one touchdown, but Washington managed just 54 total yards of offense in the second half and turned the ball over three times in the fourth quarter.

The Kansas City defense was relentless, with safety Chamarri Conner leading all players with 10 tackles. Linebackers Drue Tranquill and Nick Bolton each added six tackles, while the defensive front generated consistent pressure, sacking Mariota twice and hitting him repeatedly.

Washington’s defense, led by safety Quan Martin’s 14 tackles and Wagner’s 10 tackles and an interception, held firm for a half but ultimately wore down against the Chiefs’ persistent attack.

The loss continues a difficult stretch for the Commanders, who have now been outscored 72-29 in their last two games. They will look to regroup next Sunday when they host the Seattle Seahawks.

The Chiefs, who were projected as heavy favorites by Interstat’s ELO system with an 87.2 percent win probability, will hit the road for a pivotal AFC matchup against the Buffalo Bills next Sunday. The final combined score of 35 points fell well under the pregame over/under line of 48.5.