Chiefs QBs light up Bengals defense in 30-12 rout

The Cincinnati Bengals lost starting safety Shawn Williams to a right elbow injury in addition to losing track of numerous Kansas City wide receivers Saturday night as three Chiefs quarterbacks steered a rout at Paul Brown Stadium.

Kansas City scored on its first five possessions, the last four of which resulted in touchdowns as the Chiefs whipped the Bengals 30-12.

Kansas City tight end Demetrius Harris caught a 5-yard touchdown from starting quarterback Alex Smith and a 1-yarder from rookie backup Patrick Mahomes, who also connected with De’Anthony Thomas for a 7-yard score.

Then third-stringer Tyler Bray threw an 18-yard touchdown to Seantavius Jones on his first snap of the game, which came after an interception by Bengals backup quarterback AJ McCarron.

Kansas City (1-1) outgained Cincinnati (1-1) 411-257 as the Chiefs top three quarterbacks combined to go 20 of 28 for 194 yards and three touchdowns for a 126.2 passer rating, while running back Charcandrick West ran for 113 yards on seven carries.

Williams was hurt tackling Akeem Hunt shy of the first down marker on the first play of the second quarter and was carted off the field to keep his right arm stabilized. The team’s other starting safety, George Iloka, has yet to play in the preseason after suffering a knee injury July 30, although he returned to practice this week.

The Bengals first-team offense played the first series in the first half, with quarterback Andy Dalton directing a pair of field goal drives. Randy Bullock opened the scoring with a 47-yarder in the first quarter, and rookie Jake Elliott booted a 32 yarder in the second quarter.

Dalton was 7 of 13 for 98 yards.

“I thought we moved the ball fairly well overall, but we’ve got to score TDs,” Dalton said. “We picked up a few first downs and kept things moving, but we’ve got to cross the goal line.”

McCarron led the fourth drive, which began with 1:05 left in the second quarter. McCarron threw passes of 31 yards to Alex Erickson and 25 yards to Tyler Boyd to get the Bengals in range for Bullock, who hit a 26-yarder as time expired in the first half.

Elliott added a 39-yarder in the third quarter to keep the kicking competition close. Bullock and Elliott are 7 of 7 through the first two games.

McCarron was 8 of 15 for 93 yards and an interception before turning things over to third-stringer Jeff Driskel.

Rookie running back Joe Mixon, one of the stars of the 23-12 win against Tampa Bay, carried six times for 16 yards. Starting running back Jeremy Hill rushed six times for 28 yards.

The Bengals play their first road game of the preseason next Sunday at Washington in a 4:30 p.m. nationally televised game.

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