Your 5-0 Kansas City Chiefs beat the Los Angeles Chargers 22-6 at Arrowhead Stadium, outgaining them 422-259 and, most importantly, keeping Los Angeles out of the end zone.
The pass rush showed up, the Chiefs forced two turnovers and every time the Chargers had an opportunity to make this a game, Kansas City’s defense shut the door.
It wasn’t perfect. Kansas City turned it over twice, missed two kicks, couldn’t gain a yard when it really needed one and committed eight penalties. But the Chiefs also
controlled the game from beginning to end.
Here are a few Chiefs who stood out against the Chargers — for better or worse.
9 Winners
Wide receiver Xavier Worthy: There was no 60-yard bomb or trick play that asked Worthy to outrun the field. In this game, Worthy caught all seven targets for 73 yards, becoming Mahomes’ most reliable wide receiver with Rashee Rice and Tyquan Thornton unavailable.
Tight ends Noah Gray, Travis Kelce, and Jake Briningstool: The Chiefs got contributions from all three tight ends on Sunday afternoon. Kelce fought through an ankle injury to continue his great start, while Noah Gray had a big catch-and-run. Together, they caught 7 of 8 targets for 106 yards (53 each)—much of it YAC. You won’t see Briningstool on the box score, but he delivered key blocks on some of the biggest running plays of the afternoon. Tight end is a critical position group for a running team, especially one with question marks at wide receiver, and it’s encouraging to see all three get involved.
Running Back Kenneth Walker: On 3rd and 1, Kenneth Walker broke free for 33 yards and a touchdown. He finished with 21 touches and nearly 140 total yards. He’s not only leading the NFL in rushing in 2026, but he’s already surpassed the Chiefs’ leading rusher from 2025– in just five games. He’s explosive. He breaks tackles. He makes people miss. And maybe the most surprising stat: Andy Reid seems willing to keep giving him the football.
EDGE George Karlaftis: Give credit to the pass rush as a whole– they just doubled their sack total on the season; they’re still getting a lot of pressure… and they also got home this week. The combination works– R Mason Thomas’s speed, the relentless effort of Ashton Gillotte, the physical force that is Chris Jones, along with Steve Spagnuolo’s blitz packages. But the most impressive individual effort came from George Karlaftis once again– three QB hits, two tackles for loss, two batted passes, and a sack. Furious George is on a tear.
Wide receiver Cyrus Allen: The true breakout game hasn’t happened yet, but Allen showed some great signs of life again this week. He caught both his targets against the Chargers, and his role should keep growing.
Cornerback Nohl Williams: His ball skills are as remarkable as his tenacity. Nohl defended two more passes and got some great coverage reps. He also had a tackle for loss, attacking running backs and receivers on screen plays with no fear.
Linebacker Jack Cochrane: We bag on Cochrane most weeks, so it’s only fair to give him credit for what could have been one of the biggest plays of Sunday’s game. Under heavy pressure, Chargers QB Justin Herbert threw a pass right to #43. To his credit, Jack Cochrane not only secured the interception but also returned it 48 yards, setting up the offense in the red zone. It’s not his fault that Mahomes gave it right back with an endzone pick of his own.
4 Losers
Return specialist Nikko Remigio: Dave Toub raves about Remigio’s ability to catch a punt and be reliable. Well, today he fumbled a punt and almost fumbled another on a kickoff. Maybe we could overlook a lapse now and then if they were also making huge plays, flipping the field, or even scoring now and then. But they aren’t.
Kicker Harrison Butker: Like Remigio, Butker’s only real job is to be reliable. Once again, he missed a field goal and an extra point. Once again, it didn’t matter– but it will at some point. Have we mentioned lately that Harrison Butker is among the game’s highest-paid kickers?
The short-yardage offense: Blame the offensive line, the predictable playcalling, the nose tackle fullback, or all of the above. The Chiefs were stuffed on fourth-and-goal from the 1 on Sunday, the third consecutive game Walker has been stopped on a fourth-and-short run. The Andy Reid-led offense, which averaged 7.4 yards per play Sunday, shouldn’t have had this much trouble gaining three feet. Convert a couple more of these, and this game would have been a massive blowout.
Center Creed Humphrey: The best center in the game was undoubtedly a big part of the run game’s success, but the low snap issue reared its ugly head again this week. I’m sure it’ll get worked out, but against a good team, it could have been costly.
Note: Applying the labels “losers” is not meant to be a judgment on the talent or character of any of these individuals. It’s just a simple way to grade their job performance in a single game. No disrespect is intended.
