Chiefs’ win exposes early questions for Broncos
Kansas City beat Denver 31–10 as Kenneth Walker III impressed on debut and Patrick Mahomes returned from a serious knee injury.
The Kansas City Chiefs opened Week 1 with a 31–10 victory over the Denver Broncos, combining a dominant rushing display from Kenneth Walker III with a controlled return for quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
Walker rushed for 173 yards in his Chiefs debut and finished with 191 yards from scrimmage, including two runs of at least 25 yards. His performance provided Kansas City with an offensive dimension it has lacked in recent seasons.
Mahomes, returning after a reported 2025 ACL and LCL tear, completed 13 of 15 passes after a difficult start and finished with 184 passing yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for a score, although CBS Sports noted that Kansas City largely avoided the deep-passing game.
Denver’s 176 total yards prompted renewed questions over whether head coach Sean Payton should reclaim offensive play-calling duties from Davis Webb. CBS Sports described the decision to hand Webb those responsibilities as a potential downgrade, while noting that any change after one game would be premature.
The Broncos’ defence also struggled, with Next Gen Stats reportedly recording 28 missed tackles and 247 yards gained after missed tackles. Denver’s defence ranked among the league’s top three in several categories last season, leaving open the possibility that the performance was an isolated failure rather than evidence of a lasting decline.
