KANSAS CITY, Mo. — It seems so many people were focused on Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and how the two-time MVP’s surgically repaired left knee would hold up in Kansas City’s season opener against the Broncos that they completely forgot about Kenneth Walker III.
The reigning Super Bowl MVP won’t surprise anyone anytime soon.
Walker rushed for 173 yards and two touchdowns in his Chiefs debut, helping take some of the pressure off Mahomes in his first game, and Kansas City got some revenge on Denver for stealing its AFC West crown with a 31-10 win Monday night.
Walker had 23 yards and finished with the most yards by a Chiefs player since Jamaal Charles had 226 yards against the Colts in 2012, the year before Andy Reid became their coach. The former Seahawks star also had three catches for 18 yards.
“He’s done a really good job,” Reed said, “and you never know how many times you’re going to give him the ball. It’s not calculated. You’ve got to get the yards. For him to play the way he did, I thought it was impressive.”
Mahomes was no slouch either. With a brace protecting his left knee, he threw for 184 yards and two scores and ran for another score, helping the Chiefs snap a three-game skid against an opponent that ended their nine-year career as division champions.
“They were in the AFC championship game for a reason,” Mahomes said. “For us to go out and win like this is the first step. It shows that all the work in training camp has paid off. But how can we get better?”
The Chiefs helped make Denver downright terrible on offense in its first game, with coordinator Davis Webb calling the shots.
Bo Nix threw for 131 yards with an interception and a fumble fumble, and the Broncos finished with 176 yards of total offense, all despite the offseason splash they made by trading a package of draft picks to Miami for wide receiver Jaylen Waddle.
Waddle made one catch for 2 yards. Evan Engram led the Broncos with four catches for 43 yards and the lone touchdown.
“The whole offense, the whole team, we just didn’t play very well,” Nix said.
“Obviously it wasn’t a great night,” Broncos coach Sean Payton added.
The looming question, even after Mahomes took part in the entire offseason program and every training camp practice, was how his knee would hold up nine months since he was injured against the Chargers.
He put any doubt to rest when he capped the Chiefs’ first drive with a 15-yard touchdown run.
“Once you put him in the game,” Reed said, “he’s going to play, and you better be sure of that.”
However, it was Walker who ran most of the time. Seattle’s Super Bowl MVP, who signed a three-year, $43.05 million contract as a free agent, had 14 carries for 89 yards in the first half alone, along with a pair of out-of-bounds catches.
Even when the Broncos tied the game on Nix’s 19-yard pass to Ingram, Walker shouldered the heavy load as the Chiefs pieced together a 10-play, 80-yard drive late in the half. It ended when Mahomes found Rushey Rice, fresh off a knee injury, and ripped past a pair of Broncos defenders into the end zone to make it 14-7 at halftime.
Then it was Walker’s turn to bounce off a defender, turning a fourth-and-1 carry into a 60-yard touchdown to start the third quarter.
“I knew they would crash. When they hit, I jumped out,” Walker said, “and went to the races from there.”
Later in the quarter, the teams traded field goals thanks to good play by each side, with Brandon Jones picking off Mahomes deep in Chiefs territory to set up a Wil Lutz punt and Mahomes connecting with Travis Kelce for 59 yards to set up Harrison Butker’s return.
Nix’s fumble on the ensuing possession allowed the Chiefs to put the game away.
Mahomes hit rookie running back Emmett Johnson on third down for a 26-yard gain for first-and-goal at the Denver 2. And in some creative, dare we say, fun? – in a play that was reminiscent of the Chiefs’ banner years, Mahomes lined up in a three-point position with backup QB Justin Fields, took the snap and threw the ball to Walker, who raced untouched for the score.
Reed and his collaborators found this play in black-and-white footage from the 1930s, and it worked flawlessly.
“It was hard to see,” Walker said of the film, “but we worked it over and over again in practice. We felt it would work, and it did.”
Taylor Swift chose Arrowhead Stadium over the Emmy Awards to support Kelsey. The pop star married the Chiefs on July 3. Swift, who watched the show with Tom Cruise, was nominated for outstanding special (pre-recorded) for “The Eras Tour: The Final Show,” but the category winner, “The Muppet Show,” was announced earlier this month.
Broncos: WR Marvin Mims left the team briefly with a hip injury but returned.
Chiefs: CB Mansoor Delan landed on his right shoulder after an interception on the third play of the game. The No. 6 overall pick in the NFL Draft was taken to the locker room and never returned. … LB Cooper McDonald (knee) left in the first half and did not return.
Denver will play its home opener Sunday against Jacksonville.
Kansas City will host Indianapolis on Sunday night.
