Your 5-0 Kansas City Chiefs beat the Los Angeles Chargers 22-6 at Arrowhead Stadium, outscoring them 422-259 and, more importantly, keeping Los Angeles out of the end zone.
The pass rush showed up, the Chiefs forced two turnovers and every time the Chargers had a chance to make a game of it, the Kansas City defense closed the door.
It wasn’t perfect. Kansas City turned it over twice, missed two kicks, couldn’t gain a yard when it really needed to and committed eight penalties. But the Chiefs also controlled the game from start to finish.
Here are some Chiefs who stood out against the Chargers – for better or worse.
Wide receiver Xavier Worthy: There was no 60-yard bomb or trick play that required Worthy to outrun the field. In that game, Worthy caught all seven targets for 73 yards, becoming Mahomes’ most reliable wide receiver with Rashee Rice and Tyquan Thornton unavailable.
Tight ends Noah Gray, Travis Kelce and Jake Briningstool: The Chiefs got contributions from all three tight ends on Sunday afternoon. Kelce battled through an ankle injury to continue his strong start, while Noah Gray had a big catch-and-run. Together, they caught 7 of 8 targets for 106 yards (53 each), much of it YAC. You won’t see Briningstool on the box score, but he made key blocks on some of the biggest running plays of the afternoon. Tight end is a critical position group for a running team, especially one with question marks at the wide receiver position, and it’s encouraging to see all three getting involved.
Running back Kenneth Walker: On 3rd and 1, Kenneth Walker broke free for 33 yards and a touchdown. He finished with 21 touches and nearly 140 total yards. Not only does he lead the NFL in rushing in 2026, but he’s already passed the 2025 Chiefs’ leading rusher — in just five games. He’s explosive. He breaks tackles. He makes people miss him. And perhaps the most surprising stat: Andy Reid looks set to keep giving him the football.
EDGE George Karlaftis: Give credit to the pass rush as a whole: they just doubled their sack total this season; they’re still under a lot of pressure… and they also went home this week. The combination works: the speed of R Mason Thomas, the relentless effort of Ashton Gillotte, the physical strength of Chris Jones, as well as the blitz packages of Steve Spagnuolo. But the most impressive individual effort came once again from George Karlaftis: three QB hits, two tackles for loss, two batted passes and a sack. Furious, George is in tears.
Wide receiver Cyrus Allen: The true breakout game hasn’t happened yet, but Allen showed big signs of life again this week. He caught both of his targets against the Chargers and his role should continue to grow.
Cornerback Nohl Williams: His ball skills are as remarkable as his tenacity. Nohl defended two more passes and got some excellent coverage reps. He also made a tackle for loss, fearlessly attacking running backs and receivers on screens.
Linebacker Jack Cochrane: We play Cochrane most weeks, so it’s fair to give him credit for what could have been one of the biggest plays of Sunday’s game. Under heavy pressure, Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert threw a pass directly to #43. To his credit, Jack Cochrane not only made the interception, but returned it 48 yards, putting the offense in the red zone. It’s not his fault that Mahomes returned it with his own pick in the end zone.
Nikko Remigio, return specialist: Dave Toub is full of praise for Remigio’s ability to catch a punt and be reliable. Well, today he missed a punt and almost missed another on a kickoff. Maybe we could overlook an occasional mistake if they also made huge plays, turned the field over, or even scored every now and then. But that’s not the case.
Kicker Harrison Butker: Like Remigio, Butker’s only real job is to be reliable. Once again, he missed a field goal and an extra point. Again, it didn’t matter – but it will happen at some point. Did we mention lately that Harrison Butker is one of the highest-paid kickers in the game?
The short distance offense: Blame the offensive line, predictable play calls, nose fullback or all of the above. The Chiefs were stuffed on fourth-and-goal in the first game Sunday, the third game in a row. Walker was stopped on a fourth-and-short run. The Andy Reid-led offense, which averaged 7.4 yards per play Sunday, shouldn’t have had as much trouble gaining three feet. Convert a few more, and this game would have been a huge blast.
Creed Humphrey Center: The game’s best center has undoubtedly been a big part of the running game’s success, but the weak snap problem reared its head again this week. I’m sure it will work out eventually, but against a good team it could have been costly.
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 is intended.
Gn sports
