Chiefs reach 5-0 as Walker powers win over Chargers
Kansas City beat Los Angeles 22-6 on October 18, according to NBC News, with Kenneth Walker III’s rushing performance adding to signs of an early-season offensive rebound.
The Kansas City Chiefs improved to 5-0 with a 22-6 win over the Los Angeles Chargers in Kansas City on Sunday, October 18, according to NBC News. Kenneth Walker III rushed for 128 yards and two touchdowns in the Week 6 game, strengthening the early case that the Chiefs’ offense has recovered from its recent decline.
NBC reported that Kansas City entered Week 6 ranked fourth in offensive expected points added per play, a measure of how much each play changes a team’s scoring prospects. The Chiefs ranked second in the same measure for rushing plays. Those early rankings put their attack closer to its strongest years under quarterback Patrick Mahomes, though five games cannot establish where it will finish the season.
Walker’s start gives Kansas City another route to points
Walker’s Chargers performance brought his totals to 655 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns, plus two receiving touchdowns, NBC reported. He joined Kansas City before this season after winning Super Bowl MVP with the Seattle Seahawks. His contribution matters to an offense whose earlier success was closely associated with Mahomes’ passing: Walker has scored a rushing touchdown in all but one of the Chiefs’ first five games.
Coach Andy Reid praised Walker’s patience and vision after the game. ‘He knows how to run the ball, knows how to set up runs. There’s an art to that,’ Reid told reporters, according to NBC. The outlet cited NFL researcher Tony Holzman-Escareno for a historical comparison: Walker is the third player this century with at least 750 yards from scrimmage and eight touchdowns through a season’s first five games, following Marshall Faulk in 2000 and Priest Holmes in 2002.
How the Chiefs’ offense compares with earlier seasons
NBC said the Chiefs led the NFL in offensive expected points added per play across the combined 2018–2022 seasons, then ranked 10th across 2023–2025. Mahomes has posted his highest yards per attempt and passer rating since 2022, the outlet reported. He threw no touchdown and one interception against the Chargers, but his season pace after the game was 32 touchdown passes.
Mahomes described a change in perspective after returning from an ACL injury. ‘Today, for me, is about the process,’ he said, according to NBC. The 5-0 start is only the third of his career, giving Kansas City a strong opening record alongside its improved offensive numbers. The comparison with its earlier peak remains an assessment of the opening five games rather than a season-long result.
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Sources and context
- The Chiefs are 5-0 — and their offense may be returning to their dynastic heightsNBC News
- Photos: Game Action from Regular Season Week 6 | Chiefs vs. ChargersKansas City Chiefs
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.