Why Patrick Mahomes' impotent passing stats in win over Broncos is great news for Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes looked healthy in his return from his 2025 season-ending knee injury in the Chiefs' Monday night home opener of 2026, but there also should be no concern over one of the worst passing performances in his career.
Patrick Mahomes returned from a torn ACL and LCL injury in his left knee to lead the Chiefs in a 31-10 win over the Broncos, marking the team's first win of the 2026 NFL season. Despite an underwhelming passing performance (15-of-27, 184 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, 6.8 yards per attempt, 86.0 passer rating), the Chiefs secured the victory with running back Kenneth Walker III's dominant play.
The 31-10 triumph came with Walker rushing for 173 yards, including a 60-yard touchdown, and the defense recording four sacks and two takeaways from Broncos quarterback Bo Nix. The Chiefs' less Mahomes-dependent offensive strategy, spearheaded by Andy Reid and Eric Bieniemy, appears to be a successful formula, as they ran 38 times for 220 yards, maintaining a 57-43 run-pass ratio.
This aggressive running game is expected to continue, with Mahomes expected to thrive in future big passing games, particularly against softer defenses.
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