Quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Tua Tagovailoa had their puniest passing-yardage totals of the season on Sunday as two teams with reputations for explosive offenses engaged in a defensive struggle.

But Mahomes threw two touchdown passes to Tagovailoa’s one and the Kansas City Chiefs scored a defensive touchdown, too, in a 21-14 victory over the Miami Dolphins at Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt, Germany.

After trailing 21-0 at halftime, Miami scored on a 31-yard pass from Tagovailoa to Cedrick Wilson Jr. with 4:47 left in the third quarter and, after Kansas City lost a fumble at its 27-yard line, a 13-yard run by running back Raheem Mostert with 22 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

The Dolphins’ final chance started at their 25-yard line with 2:28 to play. Mostert gave Miami an opportunity by gaining 44 yards on consecutive carries. But with the Dolphins with a first down at the Chiefs 31-yard line, Miami had three incompletions and a fumble.

On the last two plays, Tagovailoa missed on a throw to Wilson after he’d gotten open behind the blitzing Kansas City defense and fell on an off-target, fourth-down snap.

“What happened with me and Ced, that was just miscommunication,” the former Alabama All-American said, “and in big-time moments, those things can’t happen. I got to throw a better ball. It was just miscommunication there.

“And then with the last play of the game, I’m always going to blame myself. I got to catch the ball. Can’t end the game like that when we have an opportunity like that against a really good team.”

Kansas City became the first AFC team to reach seven victories this season.

The Dolphins haven’t beaten a team with a winning record since a 21-19 victory over the Buffalo Bills on Sept. 25, 2022. The Bill had a 2-0 mark entering that game.

Miami has 12 victories since that contest, including six in eight previous games this season, with the 2023 victories coming over the Los Angeles Chargers (in the opener), New England Patriots (twice), Denver Broncos, New York Giants and Carolina Panthers.

“We knew going into the game that if we’re going to loss what the narrative would be,” Miami coach Mike McDaniel said, “and that’s fair. We shouldn’t feel entitled to high opinions from the masses. We have to earn that confidence.

“It also gives me a ton of confidence because I know that NFL games, each and every one of them is tough. I think people undervalue poor records. It is hard to win in this league, and so to win in any right against any opponent is something not to take for granted. And as long as you continue to get better, ultimately, that narrative will subside. But that’s on us collectively from coaches and players alike. If you want the narrative to change, change the narrative.”

Entering the game as the NFL leader in passing yards and touchdown passes, Tagovailoa completed 21-of-34 passes for 193 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions.

“Every game has its ebbs and flows,” Tagovailoa said. “But this one, probably just for me because with that last play to give our team just an opportunity for someone to – even if I was getting pressured, I’d be able to throw it up and allow our guys an opportunity to catch the ball – that this game was a little tougher to kind of take in, especially for me.”

Mahomes completed 20-of-30 passes for 185 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. He threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Rashee Rice for the first points of the game on Kansas City’s opening possession and a 17-yard TD pass to running back Jerick McKinnon with 2:31 left in the first half.

Kansas City defensive back Trent McDuffie caused Miami wide receiver Tyreek Hill to fumble, safety Mike Edwards picked up the loose football and gave it to safety Bryan Cook, who ran 59 yards for his first NFL touchdown with 33 seconds left in the first half.

“I wish we could have a couple of plays back,” Tagovailoa said. “But outside of that sometimes that’s how the cookie crumbles and that’s how the games go, so we’re going to have to take this one, learn from it and move on.”

Each team is on its bye next week. In their next game, the Dolphins play the Las Vegas Raiders at noon CST Nov. 19 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. The Chiefs play the Philadelphia Eagles in the Monday game for Week 11 at 7:15 p.m. Nov. 20 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.