The Chiefs win against the Denver Broncos 31-10 despite a struggling Patrick Mahomes. After a long offseason for the Kansas City Chiefs, taking down the Denver Broncos in this fashion feels like an early Christmas present for Chiefs fans who haven’t seen the Chiefs win since November of 2025. The Broncos have had the Chiefs’ number as of late, winning the last 3 matchups. This game felt like the Chiefs exorcising their demons from last year. The Broncos were supposed to be the team to beat in the AFC West, but the Chiefs proved that was false. These are the 5 biggest takeaways from the Chiefs’ win over the Broncos.
Kenneth Walker Was Dominant
The biggest takeaway from the game is undoubtedly the Chiefs’ new offensive addition, Kenneth Walker III. Walker rushed for 173 yards off of 23 carries, the most yards a Chiefs running back has run since Jamal Charles in 2012. The Chiefs have never had a 1,000-yard rusher in the Mahomes era, and Kenneth Walker is already 1/5 of the way there. Walker looked like exactly what the Chiefs have been missing in their offense the last few seasons. He was able to break tackles, make quick moves, and outthink the defense far better than any other running back Mahomes has had. Walker was primed to help the Chiefs in their run game, but he seems to have completely transformed the offense into a run-first powerhouse. His 60-yard TD on 4th-and-1 was the most electric moment the Chiefs have had on offense in a long time. If Walker continues like this, the Chiefs could have the best offense they’ve had since 2022.
Rookies Helped The Chiefs Win
The Chiefs’ rookies showed up in a big way. R Mason Thomas earned the first sack of his NFL career, Emmett Johnson looks like a reliable RB2, and 6th-round pick Mansoor Delane caught an interception on his 3rd NFL snap. Rookies are not often expected to immediately be difference makers, but this draft class is looking quite similar to the Chiefs’ legendary 2022 draft class.
Another standout rookie performance in this game is backup tackle Khalil Benson, who silenced all the doubters who thought he would be the reason the Chiefs would lose. Undrafted out of Indiana, Benson did not start a game at left tackle throughout his entire college career, yet looked completely comfortable in that position. Getting Josh Simmons back is still a priority for the Chiefs, but it is good to know that if someone goes down, Khalil Benson is a great depth piece to fill in anywhere on the offensive line.
The Defense Was Elite
As for the defense, Spagnuolo’s defense was lights out. This defense struggled mightily last year in QB pressures and overall defensive line play, but this game proved that this defensive line has vastly improved. The Chiefs sacked Nix 3 times, making him uncomfortable the entire night. The aforementioned rookies were great, but the veterans did their job just as well. Chris Jones was quiet, but his presence was still felt as the Broncos double-teaming him allowed other players to make plays.
The defensive backfield had a much better performance than most people predicted. After Delane’s early pick, he immediately got injured and left the game. Despite this, the other corners stepped up and handled their business well. Nohl Williams made meaningful plays, and L’Jarius Sneed gave fans flashbacks to his prime days in his first stint with the Chiefs by leading the team in tackles (8). If Delane’s injury keeps him out for a few games, the DBs look good enough to be okay in his absence. Many thought that losing Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson would be too much for this defense to recover from. That does not seem to be the case.
The Receivers Are Still Underperforming
Despite the monstrous victory, a few negatives still stand out for the Chiefs. Most offenses struggle against the Broncos’ stout pass defense, but even with Walker controlling the game, the receivers couldn’t get open consistently, and Mahomes missed a couple of passes. He also threw a terrible pick after what looked like a miscommunication with Xavier Worthy, which nearly let Denver back into the game. If it were not for the defense, that pick could have given the Broncos momentum. Rashee Rice caught 2 passes for 19 yards and a touchdown, which is quite disappointing for a WR1. In fact, only 5 passes were caught by wide receivers all game. Travis Kelce was the most productive receiver with 71 yards across 3 receptions. At his age, it is unsustainable for him to be the team’s leading receiver throughout the season. If the receivers don’t start making plays on their own, it could significantly hinder the Chiefs’ success later on.
Mahomes Didn’t Need To Be Superman
Mahomes threw 15/27 passes for 184 yards and 1 touchdown (not including his rushing touchdown). Despite being 9 months off of an ACL tear, Mahomes used his legs to pick up key yardage and even a touchdown early in the game. The Chiefs shouldn’t want this to be a normal occurrence, but it is a good sign that Mahomes isn’t shaken by his injury. Mahomes’ stats are rarely impressive against the Broncos, but plays like the interception and overthrowing Tyquan Thornton look too similar to his 2025 season. However, Kenneth Walker and the Chiefs’ defense did more than enough to help the Chiefs win.
End Of Kansas City Chiefs Rant
The fact that Mahomes didn’t play up to his standard and the Chiefs still ran away with the game against what everyone thought was a great team says a lot about how this Chiefs team has improved since 2025. Mahomes didn’t have to be Superman just to give his team a chance, which is exactly what the Chiefs wanted as he scrambles back to 100%. This is the kind of win that resonates through the entire league, reminding everyone that the Chiefs are still a top dog in the NFL and should be discussed as such. Fans will certainly relish the Chiefs’ win as they look ahead to next Sunday in a primetime matchup against the Indianapolis Colts.
