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Carolina Panthers fall to Kansas City Chiefs after close game

It marked the first game back for Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey, after missing the past six games with a high ankle sprain.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Carolina Panthers fell to the Kansas City Chiefs, after a close game that came down to the final moments. FINAL SCORE: 33-31, Chiefs.

It marked the first game back for Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey.

Panthers coach Matt Rhule said last week that barring a setback, he expected McCaffrey to play Sunday against the Chiefs after missing the past six games with a high ankle sprain.

Rhule said McCaffrey looked “fresh and fast at practice” last week and responded well after participating in his first padded practice since Week 2 on Wednesday.

RELATED: McCaffrey looking "fresh and fast" at practice but will he play Sunday?

At the end of the first half, the Panthers held the lead over the Chiefs, 17-13. The Panthers would lose their lead in the third quarter, and despite fighting to gain it back in the final quarter, fell short in the final moments of the game.

Patrick Mahomes threw for 372 yards and four touchdowns, Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill each went over 100 yards receiving, and the Chiefs held on to beat Carolina 33-31 on Sunday when Panthers kicker Joey Slye missed a 67-yard field-goal attempt wide right on the final play.

"Our team is extremely disappointed," Rhule said after the game. "We had every opportunity to win the football game and we did not. We came here to win and we didn't get it done."

McCaffrey finished with 18 carries for 69 yards and a touchdown while catching 10 passes for 82 yards and another score in his return from an ankle injury. 

Speaking after the game, Coach Rhule also said he has no injury update on McCaffrey, who appeared to be battling a shoulder issue late in Sunday's game.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid would have loved to have Christian McCaffrey in his offense. The versatile running back of the Carolina Panthers can do just about everything that Reid asks of his own backfield. He never got that opportunity when the Panthers took him eighth overall in the 2017 draft. But two spots later, the Chiefs drafted quarterback Mahomes, who merely led them to their first Super Bowl title in five decades last season. 

Panthers Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater threw for 310 yards and two TDs Sunday with Curtis Samuel catching nine balls for 105 yards and the other score. Bridgewaterspoke after the game as well, expressing his disappointment in the outcome — especially the final few minutes. 

"There are no morale victories in this game," Bridgewater said. "We fought and gave ourselves a chance to win at the end. They're a great football team. They came out on top and we came up short."

Dave Skretta with the Associated Press contributed to this report.

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