Chiefs-Titans Live Game Thread

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- To see the live game thread, follow along below...

First quarter

Chiefs lose toss. Titans defer, Kansas City gets the ball first. Noticed significant wind blowing left to right, keeping flags of color guard stiff during national anthem.

Chu Godrick makes first NFL start, at right tackle. Trey Smith also makes return to lineup, his first game since an ankle injury Nov. 23. Chiefs penalized twice on false starts (Pole and Suamataia, consecutive snaps). Jeffery Simmons deflects Minshew’s pass to set up third-and-20, and Chiefs can’t convert. Three-and-out.

Jack Cochrane gets early snaps at outside linebacker in place of Leo Chenal. After Chiefs stop Titans on third-and-1, Ward appears to complete 15-yard fourth-down conversion to Gunnar Helm but replay assist overturns the play. Chiefs ball.

Zacch Pickens and Kristian Fulton in game for Chiefs on second series. Titans use third-down chunk plays, 9 and 15 yards, to move sticks on Chiefs. But after George Karlaftis sack, Ward incomplete on third down and Titans will punt.

END OF FIRST QUARTER: No score.

Scoreless first quarter in #KCvsTEN. Minshew looked gimpy after that last hit. pic.twitter.com/okkc5WF2xK
— Zak Gilbert (@zaksgilbert) December 21, 2025

Second quarter

After Nick Bolton sacks Ward to force punt, then Nikko Remigio gets hit while returning punt but no flag. Chiefs instead flagged for block in back (Mike Edwards). Chiefs start at own 6 after penalty.

Third false-start penalty on Chiefs’ line, second on Pole. Then, Kareem Hunt dropped in backfield for safety, another game-wrecking play for Jeffrey Simmons.

SCORING UPDATE NO. 1 – Simmons tackles Hunt in end zone for safety. Titans 2, Chiefs 0, 13:09, second quarter.

Last time Chiefs opponent scored a safety: 10/1/23 at N.Y. Jets, Mahomes pass incomplete deep right to Valdes-Scantling, but face mask penalty on Jawaan Taylor in end zone.

Huge punt return for Remigio, 31 yards. That’s why Dave Toub trusts him. Fielded punt at his own 5. Injury update from Chiefs: Gardner Minshew is questionable with knee injury. Chris Oladokun enters the game at quarterback.

First NFL pass is incomplete, but on next play, complete to Travis Kelce. Historic pass, actually: Pushes Kelce pass 800 yards for 12th consecutive season of 800-plus yards. Only prior NFL player to accomplish that is Jerry Rice. Chiefs get 54-yard field goal from Harrison Butker (first attempt of 50-plus yards in 10 games).

SCORING UPDATE NO. 2 – Butker 54-yard field goal. Chiefs 3, Titans 2, 7:40 second quarter. Drive: nine plays, 28 yards, 3:59.

Too many chunk plays allowed by Chiefs on this drive, 34, 8, 11, 9 and 15. Drive started at Titans' 11-yard line. First-and-goal, Tennessee.

SCORING UPDATE NO. 3 – Okonkwo 7-yard pass from Ward. Titans 9, Chiefs 3, 1:37, second quarter. Drive: 11 plays, 89 yards, 6:03.

Oladokun since August really hasn’t had many opportunities to run two-minute drill at practice. Fantastic job, great pocket awareness, accuracy, poise with no timeouts on drive. Important drive, too, because Titans get ball to begin second half.

SCORING UPDATE NO. 4 – Butker 41-yard field goal. Titans 9, Chiefs 6, 0:06 second quarter. Drive: Seven plays, 45 yards, 1:31.

END OF FIRST HALF: Titans 9, Chiefs 6.

End of first half in Nashville. Chiefs again go without a first-half touchdown. Team stats below: pic.twitter.com/efFhJM2x69
— Zak Gilbert (@zaksgilbert) December 21, 2025

Third quarter

Oladokun is the QB moving forward, as Minshew is officially out per CBS. Minshew appeared to injure knee of Chiefs' first series, scrambling. Two games, two starting QBs lost for KC.

Ward plays like Mahomes on first Titans drive. On third-and-4, fires perfect completion to Ayomanor for 25. Then, eludes three Chiefs rushers, absorbing hit on the release, and completes 30-yard pass to Dike. Caps drive with 7-yard TD to Spears.

SCORING UPDATE NO. 5 – Ward 7-yard touchdown pass to Spears. Titans 16, Chiefs 6, 10:32, third quarter. Drive: nine plays, 75 yards, 4:28.

Pocket collapses on Oladokun, who rolls right, keeps eyes downfield and dumps off to Pacheco for 31 yards. But on third down, can’t connect with JuJu Smith-Schuster and Butker misses 51-yard field goal, wide right. Titans take over at own 41.

Harrison Butker now has the most missed kicks (PATs and FGs) in the NFL this season with 9 https://t.co/2D85wfvy2n
— Josh Dubow (@JoshDubowAP) December 21, 2025

Important stand there for Chiefs, stoning Titans on fourth-and-1 from midfield. Chris Jones and host of Chiefs give offense ball on short field.

Chiefs capitalize on defensive pass interference, then Oladokun makes great pass on out route to Xavier Worthy for 31 yards to set up first-and-goal from 7.

Trey Smith has been in pain last several snaps. Still, veteran recovers Oladokun fumble to preserve opportunity for Butker field goal.

SCORING UPDATE NO. 6: Butker 27-yard field goal. Titans 16, Chiefs 9, 3:00, third quarter. Drive: Six plays, 41 yards, 3:22.

Ward slips out of Karlaftis sack to gain 11 yards just before end of quarter.

END OF THIRD QUARTER: Titans 16, Chiefs 9.

End of 3 in Nashville: Titans 16, Chiefs 9. Individual and team stats... pic.twitter.com/sFNK0CVjSH
— Zak Gilbert (@zaksgilbert) December 21, 2025

Fourth quarter

Titans take points off board (51-yard Slye FG), accept offside penalty on Kevin Knowles. First down, Tennessee. Then, rookie-to-rookie Ward and Ayomanor connect for 24 yards to set up first-and-goal from 4. Spears punches in 4-yard TD on next play.

SCORING UPDATE NO. 7 – Spears 4-yard TD run. Titans 23, Chiefs 9, 11:56 fourth quarter. Drive: 10 plays, 64 yards, 6:04.

Titans haven't won at home since Nov. 3, 2024, a 20-17 overtime victory over Patriots. Tennessee's 11-game home losing streak at stake here.

Chiefs haven't lost four straight games since 2017, prior to Patrick Mahomes' first NFL start.

After a near-safety, Chiefs have to punt out of own end zone. Ward hits another big third-down completion, this one to Van Jefferson for 15 yards.

With lead block from Jeffery Simmons, Pollard punches in touchdown. However, Simmons called for never reporting as eligible. Clete Blakeman also was official for 2023 Dan Skipper game, Lions at Cowboys. Has to hate these goal-line reporting procedures. Slye hits 27-yard field goal.

SCORING UPDATE NO. 8 – Slye 27-yard field goal. Titans 26, Chiefs 9, 3:44 fourth quarter. Drive: 13 plays, 57 yards, 6:17.

Oladokun sacked on consecutive snaps by Jihad Ward and Truman Jones. Chiefs, out of timeouts, will punt after two-minute warning.

Titans get Pollard over 100 yards, then take knee.

Final score: Titans 26, Chiefs 9.

After a surreal Sunday in which they lost their franchise quarterback to a season-ending knee injury and lost out on the playoffs for the first time since 2014, the Chiefs are ready to write something new.

They’ll get that opportunity on Sunday at Nissan Stadium, where the three-game Gardner Minshew era begins. It’ll begin without two of the Chiefs’ top wide receivers. Rashee Rice and Tyquan Thornton are both out with concussions.

minshew, smit — Oct 19, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Gardner Minshew (17) hands teh ball to running back Brashard Smith (24) against the Las Vegas Raiders during the fourth quarter of the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

“He doesn't let any of that bother him,” Andy Reid said Friday. “He just goes out and plays. You guys had a chance to meet him. You kind of know how he's wired. He just loves to play the game. You can see that when you're around him.

“Got a great attitude, and he's good player. So, I look forward to seeing what he can do out there.”

Before Minshew shows what he can do, a few appetizers…

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Three daring predictions for Sunday, including the end of an impressive Chiefs streak.

Former Chiefs quarterback Trent Green, who’ll call the game with Kevin Harlan, had a memorable game in Nashville.

With Leo Chenal out Sunday, here’s the rookie in the spotlight.

Travis Kelce still has impressive NFL landmarks within reach.

With two wide receivers out Sunday, this Chiefs rookie could show what he can do.

The Kansas City Chiefs could soon make their home in Kansas, not Missouri.

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