Week 1 wrapped up with the Kansas City Chiefs dominating the Denver Broncos 31-10 on Monday Night Football.
Kansas City’s win was highlighted by a huge first game from new running back Kenneth Walker III, who rushed for a career-best 173 yards. Patrick Mahomes made his comeback after suffering season-ending ACL and LCL tears in 2025 and looked competent in his return, though not fully back to his pre-injury peak. Denver had a rough evening overall: the defense missed tackles and the offense couldn’t generate much, making it an ugly night for the home side. Because this was a divisional primetime matchup, there are plenty of narratives to unpack — here are a few, judged as overreactions or realities.
Sean Payton should take back play-calling
Overreaction vs. reality: Reality.
Elevating Davis Webb to offensive coordinator and letting him call plays was intended to retain him, given his rise inside the Denver staff since 2023. Still, handing over play-calling effectively removes one of Sean Payton’s biggest strengths. Even if Webb develops into an adequate play-caller, the move represents a downgrade from a coach long respected for his game-planning and in-game adjustments. Denver managed only 176 total yards — the fewest under Payton — and didn’t record a single 20-yard play, something that’s happened only once before in his tenure. Payton occasionally looked unsure on the sideline and sounded less than thrilled about the setup when interviewed at halftime. He’ll probably have more time than some suggest, but a brutal upcoming stretch (Jaguars, Rams, 49ers on the road, Chargers on the road, and Seahawks) means the Broncos can’t afford to keep floundering.
Patrick Mahomes is back to his elite form
Overreaction vs. reality: Overreaction.
Mahomes got the win in his first outing since the knee surgery, and there were encouraging moments, but he wasn’t operating at his highest level yet. The Chiefs purposely eased him in — Kansas City handed the ball to Walker on the first four plays — and Mahomes started slow, completing just 2 of his first 12 attempts before settling in. He finished the first half on a five-completion run and went 13-for-15 after the rough opening stretch, but most of his throws were short or intermediate; both touchdown passes came at or behind the line of scrimmage. The deep ball was essentially absent — he averaged only 4.9 air yards per attempt. It’s promising that the offense scored 31 points without a vintage Mahomes performance, and he should continue to improve as his knee strengthens and he gets more reps.
Kenneth Walker III was the NFL’s top free-agent signing
Overreaction vs. reality: Reality.
Walker’s debut was eye-opening. His 173 rushing yards rank fourth all-time for a player’s first game with a new team and are the most ever by a Chiefs player in a debut. He totaled 191 yards from scrimmage — more than the entire Broncos offense produced that night. The Chiefs signed him to a three-year, $45 million contract (about $14.4 million per year), making him the highest-paid free-agent running back by average annual value. He had two carries of 25+ yards, which outpaced the entire Chiefs backfield’s long runs from last season combined, and he’s the first runner since Kareem Hunt in 2017 to rush for at least 140 yards and score a rushing touchdown in the same game. Adding a true explosive runner gives Kansas City a dimension they lacked recently and takes some pressure off Mahomes; when Mahomes is fully back, this offense could be terrifying.
Broncos defense is no longer elite
Overreaction vs. reality: Overreaction.
Denver’s defense was dreadful Monday: Next Gen Stats credited the unit with 28 missed tackles and 247 yards after missed tackles — the most allowed by any defense in a game since at least 2018 — and eight different defenders missed multiple tackles. That performance was alarming, but it’s a stretch to write off the defense after one bad night. Last season the Broncos ranked among the league leaders in points allowed (18.3 per game), yards allowed (278.2 per game), and third-down defense (33.8%), and most of last year’s key pieces are still in Denver. This effort has to be treated as a potential anomaly; if it isn’t, however, their hopes of repeating as division champs and making another deep playoff run evaporate quickly.
Fan Take:
This game matters because it shows how quickly fortunes can swing — a midweek primetime rout puts legitimate questions on Denver’s ceiling while introducing a potentially game-changing offensive weapon in Kansas City. For NFL fans, it’s a reminder that young free agents and returning stars can reshape title outlooks fast, and that early-season slumps or mismatches can have outsized consequences for a team’s momentum.
Source: www.cbssports.com
