It wasn’t pretty, and to a man in the aftermath of the Kansas City Chiefs’ 24-10 victory over the pesky Miami Dolphins, it’s great to remain undefeated, but this team didn’t play its best football. Nevertheless, they found a way to get the job done, and this will be a big learning experience for the young players.
After the game, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was glad the team defeated the Miami Dolphins 24-10, but acknowledged it was a challenge. The undefeated Dolphins did everything they could in their home opener, and nearly pulled off the biggest upset of the season.
However, Mahomes found Travis Kelce late in the game on a picture-perfect touchdown pass that doubled the Chiefs’ lead and provided the necessary cushion for Kansas City to remain atop the AFC West and remain undefeated.
At 3-0, the Chiefs could open a pretty good lead in the division depending on how the AFC West finishes the weekend.
Still, against the Dolphins, the defense struggled for most of the first half, and like last week against the Colts, they got their act together in the fourth quarter and played the kind of defense they need to deliver in every quarter.
After the Chiefs went up 7-0 on the first drive, the Dolphins converted every third down on a 16-play, nine-minute drive that cooked the Chiefs’ defense in the hot Florida sunshine. The Colts did that last week as well, and this unit struggled to get off the field for most of the game.
Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis used his legs and arms, converting one third-down situation after another. His luck ran out in the fourth quarter, but he was pressing the Chiefs’ defense with every possession.
The Chiefs offense was sluggish in the middle of the game but ultimately made all the plays to secure the win. Tight End Travis Kelce started the game with a 48-yard catch-and-run that set up a Kenneth Walker touchdown run.
Rashee Rice led the Chiefs in passing with 88 receiving yards and seven receptions. He made two big plays on the final scoring drive, and he appears to have regained his footing from a turbulent two seasons.
Speaking of Walker, who also had a short touchdown catch from Mahomes, struggled to find running room in the middle of the Dolphins’ defense. He averaged just 3.9 yards per rushing attempt and was held under 100 rushing yards for the first time this season.
That lack of success can be attributed to the Chiefs’ entire offensive line struggling to contain Miami’s front seven. They stacked the box, and Walker didn’t have time to change direction without another Miami defender on his cleats.
Mahomes had a decent game, but by his standards, it was average at best. He was under siege because left tackle Khalil Benson didn’t have a strong performance. The Chiefs kept him on an island and never adjusted to his self-securing edge.
Yet he wasn’t the only offensive lineman to have a bad game; the unit seemed unable to find a rhythm. It’s not an alarming issue because you have to top the helmet to the Dolphins, who played with every ounce of athleticism they possessed.
They might now be the worst 0-3 team in the NFL, and if there’s a consolation, they will win some football games this season.
Kansas City was lucky to win this game, and if they hadn’t regained control in the fourth quarter, the outcome could have been very different.
Next Sunday it’s Raiders week, and Kansas City heads to Las Vegas. Though the Chiefs have dominated at Allegiant Stadium, their AFC West rival appears more focused behind veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins.
They are also 3-0 this season, defeating the New Orleans Saints on the road earlier today by forcing four turnovers in the fourth quarter. Although the defense is giving up points, Cousins has the team believing they can defeat the Chiefs.
After an early bye week following their game against the Raiders, this is a huge early-season matchup for both teams.
