The real Kansas City Chiefs are back.
After a series of up-and-down efforts in their first six games, the Kansas City Chiefs returned to their dominant ways, shutting out the Las Vegas Raiders, 31-0, in a game that was completely one-sided.
The Chiefs were heavily favored by almost two touchdowns in this home game at Arrowhead, but even the lopsided line didn’t reflect the way the Chiefs controlled this game. Patrick Mahomes threw three touchdown passes, including two to receiver Rashee Rice as Kansas City celebrated his return to the lineup after serving his six-game suspension. Rice ended up with seven catches for 42 yards.
Long drives were the order of the day for Kansas City. Their first touchdown came on a nine play, 92-yard drive that Mahomes finished with off a two-yard shovel pass to Rice. The next drive covered 84 yards and lasted for 17 plays, with receiver Hollywood Brown doing the touchdown honors, hauling in an 8-yard strike from Mahomes.
Amazingly enough, the Chiefs’ third touchdown drive of the half was the longest one yet, going for 94 yards on 16 plays. Once again it was Rice who ended up with the ball in the end zone on a three-yard pass, and the Chiefs went into the half with a 21-0 lead that eliminated nearly all of the suspense from this one. Mahomes ended up going 26 for 35, with 286 yards on the day.
The Chiefs defense was just as dominant. They limited Raiders quarterback Geno Smith to just 67 yards in a 10 for 16 effort, and rookie running back Ashton Jeanty was held to just 21 yards on six carries.
Kansas City continued to play ball control for most of the second half, with running back Isiah Pacheco getting in on the touchdown act with a seven-yard TD run to finish off an 11 play, 65 yard drive. A nine play, 66-yard drive led to the final score of the day, with kicker Harrison Butker knocking home a 38-yard field goal as he finally got to do something other than kick extra points.
The Chiefs billed their attack as the “everybody’s gotta eat” offense, and the wide receivers definitely lived the mantra they recited throughout the week with Rice back. A total of nine Chiefs caught passes as Mahomes spread the wealth around, with tight end Travis Kelce, receiver Tyquan Thornton and tight end Noah Gray all having catches of 20+ yards.
Kansas City hosts the Washington Commanders next week, so they’ll have another challenge on their hands before a road game against the Buffalo Bills. But the Chiefs served notice that they’re a team to be feared again as they climbed to 4-3 to make the AFC West a tightly-contested, three-team race.