Chiefs Hand Buccaneers Their Fifth Loss in Row, 27-20

The Kansas City Chiefs dealt the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a 27-20 defeat Sunday on a 32-yard touchdown run by Jeff Smith and are off to their best start in John Mackovic’s four years as coach.

Smith broke loose in the fourth quarter for the longest touchdown run of the season for the Chiefs, who are one victory away from matching last year’s win total.

The Chiefs are 5-3 midway through the season. They finished 6-10 last season and are 25-31 under Mackovic.

Tampa Bay (1-7) lost its fifth straight.

Bill Kenney, making his first start of the season at quarterback, connected on two key passes in the winning drive and wound up completing 15 of 29 for 230 yards and a touchdown.

“I was just happy to get a chance to play and happy to contribute,” said Kenney, who was benched the first seven games while Todd Blackledge started at quarterback.

Henry Marshall caught 5 of Kenney’s passes for 91 yards.

With the score tied, 20-20, entering the fourth quarter, Kenney hit Marshall with consecutive passes totaling 33 yards to the Tampa Bay 32.

On the next play, Smith started left but angled back and weaved through the secondary, finally falling into the end zone for the decisive score with 10:35 left.

Art Still sealed the victory by sacking Tampa Bay’s Steve Young for an 11-yard loss in the final minute. It was Still’s third sack of the game.

Mike Pruitt scored the game’s first touchdown, the 50th of his 11-year NFL career, but the Chiefs had to come back in the second half after the Buccaneers took a 13-10 lead.

Nick Lowery kicked a 20-yard field goal, and Stephone Paige caught Kenney’s three-yard pass for a score, enabling the Chiefs to take a 20-13 lead into the final period.

But Tampa Bay’s James Wilder, who rushed for 110 yards, ran three yards for the tying touchdown.