KANSAS CITY, Mo. _ For a while, it looked like the Chiefs' recent history of season-opening blowouts would continue on Sunday, as the Chargers led by 21 points midway through the third quarter.
But then, the previously listless Chiefs woke up. And the final result was an all-time comeback, the biggest in club history, by deficit, as they rallied to beat San Diego 33-27 in overtime at Arrowhead Stadium.
The previous record for the club's biggest comeback belonged to the 2012 team, which rallied from an 18-point deficit to beat New Orleans.
Yet, no one who watched the first half would have imagined that record was getting broken Sunday, as the Chargers didn't waste much time before establishing themselves. The Chiefs opened the game with a 47-yard field goal, but San Diego, which ranked 31st in run offense a year ago, came right out and pounded the rock against a run defense that was suspect throughout the preseason.
Melvin Gordon, who failed to score a single touchdown as a rookie a year ago, broke off a 17-yard run on their first drive and capped a six-play, 75-yard march with a 1-yard score that put the Chargers ahead 7-3 midway through the first quarter.
The Chiefs' next offensive drive stalled out after reaching midfield, and the Chargers quickly mounted another scoring drive, this one spanning 13 plays and 80 yards and capped by a 6-yard run by Gordon.
At this point, it had become clear the Chargers were gaining confidence while the Chiefs looked flat. The Chiefs went three-and-out on their next drive _ they didn't do anything the rest of the half _ and the Chargers again scored, this time on a 4-yard touchdown throw from quarterback Philip Rivers to receiver Danny Woodhead, as the latter was standing wide open after miscommunication by the Chiefs' defense.
After another weak drive by the Chiefs' offense _ quarterback Alex Smith looked flummoxed by defensive coordinator John Pagano's coverages, and the Chiefs only managed 34 first-half rushing yards in nine carries _ the Chargers seemed primed to end the half with another score, too, as they recorded two more first downs with less than three minutes remaining.
But the drive ultimately stalled out, as the Chargers seemed to lose some momentum once star receiver Keenan Allen, who had tortured the Chiefs for six catches and 63 yards to that point, was lost for the game with a knee injury.
Still, San Diego led 21-3 at halftime, and the numbers were ugly. The Chargers had not only outgained the Chiefs 219-105, but Rivers _ who was boosted by a strong running game averaging 4.9 yards in 14 carries _ was carving them up, as he'd completed 16 of 20 passes for 151 yards.
Things would get better for the Chiefs in the second half, but not immediately. San Diego opened the third quarter with another field goal, and the Chiefs, who trailed by 21 at that point, opted to go for it on fourth-and-5 at the Chargers' 25-yard line on their next drive.
The gamble paid off, as Smith found tight end Travis Kelce for a 13-yard gain. Two plays later, Smith found rookie receiver Tyreek Hill on a tunnel screen for a 9-yard touchdown that made the score 24-10 with 2:53 left in the third quarter.
The Chiefs kept charging back, too, as they answered another field goal with a touchdown, this time on an 18-yard beauty of a back-shoulder throw from Smith to Jeremy Maclin that made the score 27-17 with 9:18 left.
After another San Diego punt, they mounted another drive _ this one spurred on by a bevy of passes over the middle _ that concluded with a 33-yard field goal that cut the deficit to seven with 3:18 left.
The defense, which held the Chargers to 169 second-half yards, again stepped up and forced a three-and-out that allowed the offense to get the ball at the Chargers' 42-yard line with 1:49 left.
And Smith promptly led the Chiefs on a four-play scoring drive, complete with a 22-yard missile among three defenders to Maclin and a 5-yard scoring run by Spencer Ware that knotted the score at 27 before the end of regulation, as the defense wiped out a final Chargers drive thanks to sacks by Dee Ford and Chris Jones.
The Chiefs won the toss to open overtime, and Smith _ who finished 34 of 48 for 363 yards, three touchdowns and an interception _ completed the comeback by leading his team on a 10-play, 70-yard scoring march.
Smith was dealing on the drive, too, as he completed touch passes downfield to tight end Travis Kelce and Ware that extended the drive. And at the end, the quarterback who has been roundly criticized for his inability to lead his team back from late-game deficits capped the drive with a 2-yard touchdown run that completed the historic comeback.
