Kansas City Chiefs won their International Series game against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday like they've been winning games in the United States in 2023, with their defense leading the way.
This time, the Chiefs weren't content with merely limiting the usually high-scoring Dolphins to a season-low in points in the 21-14 victory. The Chiefs also scored the decisive touchdown on defense.
The play was anything but routine, with cornerback Trent McDuffie stripping the ball from Tyreek Hill late in the first half. Kansas City teammate Mike Edwards picked it up and, after being surrounded by Dolphins, pitched a lateral to fellow safety Bryan Cook, who raced 59 yards to put the Chiefs ahead 21-0.
The Chiefs scored 21 straight points in the first half but were shut out in the second half as the Dolphins pulled within one score by the end of the third quarter. With 1:07 remaining in the game, Miami faced third-and-10 from the Chiefs' 31-yard line. Cedrick Wilson appeared to break free from cornerback Jaylen Watson for what could have been the game-tying touchdown, but the pass from Tagovailoa floated well behind the wide receiver as Wilson jumped in frustration.
Dolphins moved Hill around, lining him up all over the field, including in the slot, on both sides of the line and in motion.
Chiefs cornerback L'Jarius Sneed was the player most responsible for limiting Hill. He shadowed him — except when he was in the slot and even then he was shaded to that side to help slot corner Trent McDuffie.
Three Chiefs players combined to put Kansas City up 21-0 just before halftime on one of the top defensive plays of the season so far.
And it came at the expense of former teammate Tyreek Hill.
With the Dolphins driving late in the first half, cornerback Trent McDuffie stuffed Hill on a short pass in the flat and stripped the ball from the All-Pro receiver. Mike Edwards scooped it up and after Hill tried to tackle him, Edwards lateraled to Cook, who returned it for the score.
 Tony Gonzalez's previous record of 10,940 to become the new all-time leading receiver in Chiefs franchise history.
Even after breaking the record, Kelce's performance at Sunday's game proves the Swift statistic — that when the music icon is at Chiefs games, Kelce averages more than double the amount of yards than when she isn’t — is still in effect, seeing as Taylor Swift was not in Germany to cheer on the Chiefs and her beau.
The yards per pass attempt is 6.1, their best at this stage of the season since 1988, and yards per play is 4.8, their best since 1999.
Mahomes said he thought back in training camp that the Chiefs were developing their best defensive team since he took over as starting quarterback in 2018. The Chiefs invested heavily in their defense last season, drafting McDuffie and defensive end George Karlaftis in the first round, Cook in the second and other defensive contributors in the later rounds.
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