In a thrilling rematch of last season’s Super Bowl, Patrick Mahomes led the Kansas City Chiefs to a 28-18 victory over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, maintaining their status as the only unbeaten team in the NFL. Despite struggling with two interceptions, Mahomes made crucial plays with his legs, enabling the Chiefs to prevail at Levi’s Stadium.

The match did not reach the high stakes or intensity witnessed in February when the Chiefs clinched the Super Bowl title in a dramatic overtime finish. However, the outcome mirrored that encounter, giving Kansas City their fifth consecutive win over the 49ers, including two championship games.

Unfortunately for San Francisco, the game took a toll on their roster as star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk had to be carted off the field due to a right knee injury sustained while making a catch in the latter part of the first half. The team awaits updates on the severity of his condition.

Aiyuk’s absence became particularly significant during a key moment late in the third quarter when the 49ers were within striking distance of taking the lead, trailing 14-12. A miscommunication between quarterback Brock Purdy and backup receiver Ronnie Bell resulted in an interception by Chris Roland-Wallace. The Chiefs capitalized on this opportunity, with Mahomes executing a remarkable 33-yard scramble—his longest run in a regular-season game—before scoring on a 1-yard run on fourth down, marking his first rushing touchdown since the previous season.

Kansas City’s offensive attack featured three rushing touchdowns from different players: Kareem Hunt contributed two in the first half, and Mecole Hardman sealed the game with an 18-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. This marked only the second instance during Mahomes’ tenure that the Chiefs have achieved four rushing touchdowns in a game, the first being back in the 2018 playoffs against Indianapolis.

In terms of passing stats, Mahomes completed 16 of 27 attempts for 154 yards, as he has accumulated six passing touchdowns against eight interceptions this season. These efforts helped his team become the tenth defending Super Bowl champion to start the next season with a six-game winning streak.

On the contrary, Purdy also struggled, completing 17 of 31 passes for 212 yards, with two rushing touchdowns and three interceptions. His final interception came in the end zone in the fourth quarter while the 49ers attempted to rally.

A notable moment for San Francisco came as rookie receiver Ricky Pearsall made his debut exactly 50 days after being shot in the chest during a robbery. He was activated from the non-football injury list for this game and made an impact by catching his first professional pass late in the second quarter. His presence was vital, especially as the team suffered multiple injuries to their top receivers: Jauan Jennings was sidelined with a hip injury, Deebo Samuel managed to play only a few snaps due to illness, and Aiyuk sustained his injury.

Regarding other injuries, the Chiefs faced setbacks as wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster exited the game with a hamstring issue, and cornerback Jaylen Watson also left due to an ankle concern.

Looking ahead, the Chiefs are set to visit Las Vegas next Sunday, while the 49ers will host the Dallas Cowboys the same night.