The Kansas City Chiefs are 4-0 and, on the surface, everything looks right on schedule. The offense has gotten a lift from new addition Kenneth Walker III, Patrick Mahomes looks like he’s back to his vintage self, and the team has opened the 2026 regular season like a juggernaut.
But there’s a problem simmering on the other side of the ball.
Through four weeks, the defense has been underwhelming, and ESPN’s Nate Taylor pointed to one trend that could turn into a much bigger issue as the season rolls on: the pass rush has gone silent. As Taylor put it, "This stat might seem unbelievable, but it's true: The Chiefs haven't sacked a quarterback in the past three weeks."
That’s a jarring drop after Week 1, when Kansas City’s defense opened with four sacks in a 31-10 win over the Denver Broncos. Since then, though, the production has vanished. Against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 2, the Miami Dolphins in Week 3 and the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 4, the Chiefs didn’t record a single sack.
The opponents make that stretch stand out even more. The Raiders have allowed 12 sacks this season, the Colts nine and the Dolphins four, yet Kansas City still couldn’t get home. Malik Willis is a tough quarterback to bring down, but the Chiefs really should’ve been able to get to Daniels Jones and Kirk Cousins in Weeks 2 and 4 this season.
It’s still too early to panic over the pass rush after just four games. But if this stretch carries past the Week 5 bye, the Chiefs could be staring at a serious problem.
In Other News...
Jaguars Fans Just Landed Near The Top Of A Surprising NFL List
A Harvard study looking at the political leanings of NFL fan bases turned up an unusual ranking, with the Tennessee Titans at the top of the most Republican-leaning list and the Jacksonville Jaguars right behind them. The Bengals also landed near the top, and the broader finding fit a familiar pattern: fan bases often seem to track the political character of the places they call home.
For Chiefs fans, the more interesting note may be how carefully Patrick Mahomes has handled the subject. In a 2024 interview, the Kansas City quarterback said he avoids endorsing political candidates, instead encouraging voter registration and independent decision-making. It is a reminder that even in a league built on rivalries and regional identity, the politics around the game can still draw attention in unexpected ways. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Have An Unexpected Offensive Centerpiece Entering The Bye
Patrick Mahomes has opened the season looking like his old self, with the kind of early production that puts him back in the same neighborhood as his MVP years. Even so, the conversation around Kansas Citys offense has shifted in a surprising direction during the bye week, with Chiefs reporters unanimously naming Kenneth Walker III the teams MVP and top offensive player through the first quarter of the season.
Walker has been the kind of early centerpiece that changes how a defense has to prepare for Kansas City, leading the NFL in rushing yards over the first four games while also providing help as a receiver. For an offense long defined by Mahomes arm, Walkers blend of production and versatility has become a major reason the Chiefs have looked so dangerous, and it leaves the rest of the league wondering how much more he can shape this attack as the season moves on. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Are Getting Late Heroics While A Bigger Mahomes Concern Grows
The Chiefs have opened 4-0 with the kind of late-game help that can make a September slump look a lot less alarming, and Kenneth Walker III has been at the center of it. He has found the end zone repeatedly in the closing moments of games, including two touchdowns in the final minutes against the Raiders, giving Kansas City a timely lift as the offense works through some uneven stretches and a few offensive line injuries.
Still, the bigger picture is hard to ignore with an early bye week coming up. The late heroics have piled up in a way that stands out even across the league, but they also underscore how much the Chiefs have leaned on finishing strong rather than controlling games cleanly from the start, which is the part that will matter most as the schedule gets tougher. [Read more 🡒]