kansascity
On Sunday at Allegiant Stadium, Patrick Mahomes took a shotgun snap and immediately ducked for cover. The next play, he dropped back and threw incomplete, leading to a punt. On the following drive, Mahomes rolled right to evade pressure and fired incomplete, then launched a deep pass that fell incomplete, resulting in another punt. This was the Chiefs' offense early on, reminiscent of their 2025 struggles, but this is 2026, and what happened next changed the game.
The Chiefs turned a second-half deficit into a 30-27 win against the Raiders, and they did so by taking the ball out of Mahomes' hands. After managing just 18 yards on their first nine plays of the second half, Kansas City shifted strategy. They moved Mahomes under center and handed the ball to running back Kenneth Walker. The result was a 76-yard run, the longest by a Chief in seven seasons and the longest non-scoring rush in 16 years. Trey Smith and Jaylon Moore opened a hole on the right side, and Walker sprinted until cornerback Taron Johnson tracked him down.
Key Analysis
The play ignited an offense that had sputtered. Over their next 10 snaps, the Chiefs gained 90 yards, scoring three times in four possessions, including a 55-yard pass and a 22-yard touchdown run after a fumbled kickoff. They scored twice in 19 seconds. This marked a fourth-quarter comeback, something they achieved only once last year. In 2025, Kansas City ranked 27th in yards per play in the fourth quarter, and Mahomes ranked 36th in completion percentage among qualified passers. Defenses knew the Chiefs had to rely on the quarterback. This year, they are scoring 12.5 points per fourth quarter, more than the Dolphins score per game. Walker set a career-high with 177 rushing yards, over 100 of which came in the final 15 minutes. The Chiefs had been heavily dependent on the pass, but they found success by handing the ball off. Head coach Andy Reid acknowledged the need for balance, saying, 'Yeah, touch,' when asked about the run-pass ratio. The purpose isn't an even split but the ability to move to Plan B. The Chiefs trailed for the entire third quarter but have trailed in fourth quarters for only 1 minute and 42 seconds this season. With a tougher schedule ahead, deficits may grow, and the loss of wide receiver Tyquan Thornton to an ankle injury and Rashee Rice to a hamstring injury makes the running game even more crucial. As Walker ran 76 yards, he thought he would score but heard footsteps closing in. The Raiders caught him twice and briefly took the lead in the fourth quarter, but the Chiefs' response, fueled by their ground attack, kept them undefeated heading into an early bye.
Originally reported by kansascity.