The Kansas City Chiefs have found a new way to win, and it's not like anything we've seen before.
The Kansas City Chiefs had their way with the Denver Broncos last night to the count of 31-10, but this was a very different win from the winning formula the Chiefs used to win a Super Bowl a few years back. It featured a dominant running game, which is a new ingredient we've never seen before.
It made life much easier for quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who played freely throughout the game ,and Mahomes even joined the ground game to score Kansas City’s first touchdown from 15 yards out when he spotted some open field after being unable to find an open receiver.
"Going for the end zone, it kind of gave me that confidence that I can go out there and be myself," said Mahomes, who underwent surgery in December to repair a torn ACL and LCL in his left knee, in a report from Nate Taylor of ESPN. "I just wanted to play. I had done so much rehab and so much work to put myself in this position. I just wanted to get out there and play. This is what you do it for.
"That was definitely the moment, physically, to say all this work has paid off. I didn't feel anything."
The running game was anchored by new back Kenneth Walker III, who picked up 173 yards on 23 carries, and Walker talked about the work the Chiefs did in training camp to provide the foundation for this win.
"It means a lot," Walker said of his debut. "I see the O-line, the way they work in the weight room and the classroom. We showed it in practice, from OTAs to training camp. We just had to come out here and execute and show it."
It was a different show in Kansas City, and coach Andy Reid’s comments reflected the uncertainty in the approach. Reid is used to winning with motion and big passing plays, but on this night he was happy to let Walker do the work.
"It means a lot," Walker said of his strong debut with the Chiefs. "I see the O-line, the way they work in the weight room and the classroom. We showed it in practice, from OTAs to training camp. We just had to come out here and execute and show it."
Mahomes was erratic early on, as he spent the first two quarters knocking off the rust after his long layoff. He was better in the second half, as Taylor noted, going 7-for-9 for 122 yards as he let his receivers around him do the work to go with Walker’s yardage.
"I didn't play my best, but we were still able to go out there and beat a really good team pretty well," Mahomes said. "The guys around me stepped up."
