Kenneth Walker III is turning Kansas City’s offense into something the Chiefs can lean on, and on Sunday he even got Patrick Mahomes involved in the cleanup work.
That moment came in the second quarter of the Chiefs’ 22-6 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, when Walker burst to the right and briefly looked like he might be stopped by defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson. Mahomes knew better. After the game, he said that “the first guy never tackles him.”
So Mahomes kept moving. He shuffled over to help wall off Chargers linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu, who was closing in from the backside.
The timing was just enough to matter. Walker slipped through the lane, dove into the end zone and finished the play with a touchdown.
It was the kind of sequence that summed up Walker’s afternoon. He finished with 128 rushing yards and two touchdowns, another eye-catching line in what is quickly becoming historic company.
According to Jesse Newell of The Athletic, Walker is now the sixth back in NFL history to post at least 750 scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns in his first five games. The list includes Jim Brown, Eric Dickerson, Marshall Faulk and Emmitt Smith, plus former Chiefs standout Priest Holmes.
Walker also tied another rare mark. Sunday was his fourth multi-touchdown game in five contests, a level matched only by Hall of Fame wideout Calvin Johnson Jr. with the Detroit Lions.
And the Chiefs needed every bit of it. Newell noted that Kansas City entered Sunday already short-handed along the offensive line and at receiver, and tight end Travis Kelce tweaked his ankle in the first quarter. Even with those issues, Walker kept the offense moving and helped take pressure off Mahomes until the quarterback could start spreading the ball to his secondary targets.
The result was a balanced showing against a Chargers team that keeps finding ways to hand games away, and Walker was right at the center of it.
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What makes this a little more intriguing is the contract side of it. Wilson, Holani and Charbonnet are all on expiring deals, which gives Seattle some flexibility if it wants to pursue another runner, whether that means a splashier target or simply more depth. Charbonnets recovery from ACL surgery only adds another layer to the discussion, because the Seahawks still have to weigh what he can be coming off the injury against what the roster might need in the short term. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Just Got A Painful Kenneth Walker Reminder From Mike Macdonald
Kenneth Walker III has stayed in the conversation around Seattle even after moving on, and Mike Macdonald made sure of that during a recent SiriusXM NFL Radio appearance. The Seahawks coach was complimentary about the running backs work with the Kansas City Chiefs, pointing to Walkers strong play and the way he has backed it up with some of the leagues top statistical production.
For Seattle, the reminder stings a little because Walker was not kept on the franchise tag earlier this year before landing a three-year deal with Kansas City. Macdonalds comments arrived just as the Chiefs are set to face the Seahawks, adding a little extra weight to a matchup that already carries an obvious layer of familiarity and second-guessing. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Put Perfect Start On The Line Against Walkers Former Team
Kenneth Walker III has helped fuel Kansas Citys 5-0 start, giving the Chiefs another dynamic piece as they try to keep their perfect opening intact. The matchup also brings some familiarity for Seattle, which is trying to settle in as defending Super Bowl champions while navigating a 3-3 beginning that has been shaped by uneven quarterback play from Sam Darnold and injuries in the backfield.
The Seahawks have still had a dependable presence in Jaxon Smith-Njigba, whose value has only grown as the offense works through its issues. Still, this is the kind of game that can sharpen the questions around Seattles early-season identity, with the Chiefs carrying momentum and a back who knows exactly what his former team is trying to do on the other side. [Read more 🡒]