You might hear a lot of pessimism this week about how the Kansas City Chiefs defense struggled to get off the field (they did), or how the team had too many costly penalties (they did). You’ll hear about receivers, offensive linemen, linebackers and passers (see below).
But, in the end, your Chiefs did what they were supposed to do: return home after a road game against the Miami Dolphins with a 3-0 record. The best team must win, even if they make mistakes. In six weeks, what will we remember: ugliness or victory?
But alas, it’s win/lose, so we’ll dig a little deeper and highlight a few that stood out this week.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes: Wins may or may not be a “QB stat,” but it’s no coincidence that Mahomes just passed Tom Brady in the first decade win rankings. Mahomes was deadly effective in this game, with the only problem being a chance interception from the hands of Rashee Rice.
Tight end Travis Kelce: Seriously, what does Taylor’s personal chef feed this guy? The Dolphins forgot to cover the nearly 37-year-old and 48 yards later, Kelce helped set up the offense for an opening touchdown. We thought Kelce’s role would evolve this season, but who could have predicted he would become the best big-play receiver in the NFL?
Defensive end George Karlaftis: Endless efforts pay off in the end. A tipped pass, a QB hit, a tackle for loss and a few pressures weren’t enough for Furious George. No, he had to take it upon himself to end the game on his first career interception – a deflection from Chris Jones.
Running back Kenneth Walker III: For the first time in his career with the Chiefs, he did not cross 100 meters from scrimmage. He had to fight for every yard and was stopped on some critical short-yardage plays. But Walker also scored two touchdowns – one almost untouched, one on a shovel pass. Those two touchdowns were the only thing that came easy for the Chiefs’ star back, but they made the difference.
Tight end Noah Grey: It was Kelce’s day again, but Noah Gray also responded to Patrick Mahomes when called upon. Three big catches, including a difficult back shoulder play while the field was covered. Hopefully he can build on this performance.
Cornerback Mansoor Delane: The rookie returned Sunday and made his presence felt. The shoulder didn’t seem to be on his mind, as Delane was as aggressive as ever. In the second quarter alone, Mansoor Delane ended two drives with a pass breakup on 4th down and a tackle for loss on 3rd down.
Note: The application of “loser” labels is not a judgment on the talent or character of any of these individuals. It’s just a simple way to rate their job performance in one game. No disrespect should be inferred.
Defensive back L’Jarius Snead: He made what should have been one of the most important plays of the game, forcing and recovering a Malik Willis fumble — and it wasn’t his fault that the offense gave the ball back immediately. But, like the aforementioned linebackers, Snead was a popular target when he was in coverage. He is one of Spagnuolo’s favorites, an effective blitzer and one of the worst corners in the league in pass coverage. It’s a conundrum in the slot machine.
Linebackers Jack Cochrane and Nick Bolton: The Dolphins saw something they could exploit, and it was these two guys in coverage. Bolton had eleven tackles, but most will remember him getting hit in the backfield on an extended run. The linebackers’ film room won’t be fun this week.
Wide receiver Xavier Worthy: The good news is that Worthy made one play – a 17-yard catch. The bad news is that Worthy only made one big play all afternoon. The Chiefs need more from number one.
Gn sports
