KANSAS CITY — The Kansas City Chiefs answered their biggest offseason questions in emphatic fashion, rolling to a 31-10 win over the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football to open the season. Patrick Mahomes, nine months after having multiple ligaments repaired, returned to lead an explosive rushing attack that outclassed the most recent AFC West champions.
Mahomes opened the scoring with a rushing touchdown — his first attempt was called back for a penalty — and finished with 184 yards and three total touchdowns against one of the NFL's best defenses. The MVP shook off any rust getting the ball to his new playmaker, as Kenneth Walker III delivered a statement Chiefs debut with 191 total yards and two touchdowns while averaging over 7 yards per carry, the best performance from a Kansas City running back since Jamaal Charles' prime.
The defense was equally dominant, holding Denver to 61 rushing yards, 131 passing yards and 10 points while limiting the Broncos to 2 of 12 on third down with two turnovers and four sacks. Nohl Williams sacked Bo Nix before Mansoor Delane intercepted him, though Delane left with a shoulder injury, while Peter Woods knocked down a pass, Felix Anudike-Uzomah and R Mason Thomas each had a sack, Chris Jones recovered a fumble and Nick Bolton knocked down a pass that could have been ruled a fumble. On offense, Travis Kelce — who married one of the most famous and wealthy women in the world in the offseason while she watched from a suite with Tom Cruise — led the Chiefs in receiving at 35 years old with a 59-yard catch-and-run to set up a field goal, rookie Emmett Johnson totaled 68 yards on his first 10 NFL touches as the new No. 10, and undrafted tryout left tackle Kahlil Benson, who never played left tackle in college, held up protecting Mahomes' blind side with help from Andy Reid's staff.
Not every debut was clean. Center Creed Humphrey, the best center in the NFL, had two bad snaps that fortunately did not result in turnovers. Wide receiver Cyrus Allen, an offseason standout, was held without a catch in his Chiefs debut, and Xavier Worthy managed just three catches for 18 yards on six targets, including a play where he appeared to run the wrong route resulting in an ugly interception.