The Chiefs didn’t exactly breeze through Sunday in South Florida. Miami pushed them, moved the ball and kept the pressure on for long stretches. But when the game tightened, Kansas City’s defense on fourth down kept slamming the door, and that was the difference in a 24-10 win.
The Dolphins finished 0-for-3 on fourth down, and each of those failures mattered. Kansas City also forced a crucial turnover in the second quarter, helping blunt a Miami drive that could have changed the feel of the afternoon.
The biggest swing came midway through the fourth quarter with Miami down 17-10. Facing fourth-and-5 from its own 48 with 6:00 remaining, the Dolphins went for it. Malik Willis’ pass fell incomplete, and the Chiefs were handed a short field.
Kansas City made it count. Patrick Mahomes found Travis Kelce for an 11-yard touchdown with 2:55 left, stretching the lead to 24-10 and effectively putting the game away.
Miami still tried to answer, going for it again on fourth down on the next possession. This time, Chris Jones got a hand on Willis’ pass, and George Karlaftis came down with the interception to end the threat. Harrison Butker later missed a 50-yard field goal that would have added three more points.
Mahomes finished 20-of-24 for 246 yards, with two touchdowns and one interception. That pick came after the ball went off Rashee Rice’s hands and was tipped by another defender before Miami secured the takeaway. Rice led Kansas City with 88 yards on seven catches, while Kelce had two receptions for 59 yards and the touchdown.
Willis went 20-of-36 for 210 yards with an interception and also led the Dolphins on the ground with 56 rushing yards on nine carries.
Miami was also forced to play most of the game without De’Von Achane, who left with a knee injury on the opening drive.
The win moved Kansas City to 3-0, giving Mahomes his 115th victory in his first 150 starts. That ties Tom Brady for the most ever, with Joe Montana next at 108.
It’s also the fifth time the Chiefs have opened 3-0 since Mahomes became the starter in 2018.
Kansas City heads to Las Vegas next week to face the Raiders, while the Dolphins stay on the road in Week 4 against the Vikings.
In Other News...
Dolphins Fans Have Another Reason To Be Furious With Chiefs Officiating
A controversial no-call in the Chiefs-Dolphins game is adding more fuel to a grievance Miami fans already know well. On a recent tackle, a Kansas City defender was seen pulling on Malik Willis helmet, yet officials let the play stand without a flag, turning a routine snap into another flashpoint in a rivalry that seems to bring out every officiating complaint imaginable.
For Dolphins supporters, the frustration was immediate because the contact looked obvious enough to invite a penalty and the silence from the officials only deepened the suspicion. Plays like that tend to linger long after the game ends, especially when they feed the larger belief around the league that Kansas City gets the benefit of the doubt more often than most teams. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Suddenly Have A Good Problem Up Front
Through three weeks, Miami has managed to keep its run defense sturdy even without Kenneth Grant, who is on injured reserve and could be back after Week 4. The Dolphins have patched the interior with Jordan Phillips, Zeek Biggers and Keith Cooper Jr., while rookie linebacker Jacob Rodriguez and veteran Jordyn Brooks have helped keep the front seven organized and active against the run.
Grants return would give the Dolphins another option up front, but it also raises a real personnel question for a defense that has found a workable rhythm without him. His rookie season was uneven, and the bigger issue now is figuring out where he fits if the current group keeps holding its own once he is cleared to rejoin the rotation. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Fans Had Every Reason To Hate This Chiefs Break
When the Dolphins were trying to claw their way back into the game against Kansas City in Week 3, a roughing-the-passer call on Chop Robinson changed the feel of the moment in an instant. The hit on Patrick Mahomes extended the Chiefs drive, and Miami watched the sequence end with three points instead of a stop that could have helped shift momentum.
It was the sort of break that left Dolphins fans grinding their teeth, especially in a game Kansas City controlled from there. The Chiefs won 24-10, with Mahomes completing 20 of 24 passes for 246 yards and two touchdowns, and Miami was left to wonder how different things might have felt without one costly flag in a key spot. [Read more 🡒]