Through three games last season, the Kansas City Chiefs were searching for an identity. Losses to the Los Angeles Chargers and Philadelphia Eagles
left them 0-2, and a 22-9 win over the New York Giants offered relief more than reassurance. This year, they have beaten the Denver Broncos 31-10, survived the Indianapolis Colts 33-30 in overtime and handled the Miami Dolphins 24-10.The scores tell part of the story. The Chiefs have scored 88 points through three games, compared with 60 at the same point last
year. Their offense has gained 1,249 yards, up from 947 across the first three games in 2025. Those totals reflect a team that can now create yards in more than one way.
Here are three thoughts about the hot start compared to last year:
1. Kenneth Walker has changed the equation
Last September, quarterback Patrick Mahomes often had to supply the offense’s rushing spark himself. He ran for 57 yards against the Chargers and led Kansas City with 66 against the Eagles. The Chiefs won in Week 3 with 105 rushing yards as a team, but no running back topped Isiah Pacheco’s 45.
Now Kenneth Walker III has 360 rushing yards in three games. His 173 yards against Denver helped turn a close opener into a decisive win. He followed that with 117 rushing yards against Indianapolis, then scored both on the ground and through the air in Miami. Walker gives Kansas City a way to dictate terms without asking Mahomes to rescue every stalled possession.
The Colts game showed that a stronger run game has not come at the expense of the pass. Kansas City produced 152 rushing yards and 371 net passing yards in the same game. Mahomes threw for 382 yards and three touchdowns.
Even when Indianapolis forced the Chiefs into a shootout, they could still win.
2. The offense has more answers around Mahomes
Mahomes’ return from his knee injury did not make for a flawless Week 1 passing performance: he completed 15 of 27 attempts against Denver. Three games in, though, he has thrown for 812 yards and seven touchdowns. Travis Kelce has 231 receiving yards, Rashee Rice has 190, and Tyquan Thornton has supplied downfield plays, including two crucial catches in the overtime win against the Colts.
The difference shows up in how Kansas City has won. Walker powered the opener. Mahomes’ arm carried much of the game against the Colts. In Miami, the Chiefs scored on their first possession, endured a long quiet stretch, then put together an 80-yard fourth-quarter drive before Kelce’s touchdown sealed it. The offense has had uneven stretches, but it has found different ways to put points on the board.
3. A better start still leaves questions
Kansas City’s defense has allowed 50 points, compared with 56 through three games last season. The 31-10 win over Denver was its clearest statement: the Broncos managed only 176 yards. But the Colts scored 30, and Miami gained 329 yards despite scoring just 10 points. It is too early to declare the defense as “consistent.”
That distinction matters when comparing the two starts. Last year’s Chiefs also showed they could shut down an opponent, holding the Giants to nine points in Week 3. They lacked enough offense to overcome their rougher afternoons against the Chargers and Eagles. This year, the Broncos game showed Kansas City can win comfortably with defense and a punishing run game; the Colts game showed it can win when the defense has a difficult night.
The bottom line
Three games cannot settle what this team will become. They do show a meaningful change from last September. The 2025 Chiefs entered Week 4 trying to build momentum after their first win. The 2026 Chiefs enter it unbeaten, with Walker giving the offense a threat it can lean on and Mahomes still capable of taking over when the game demands it.
