Mahomes, Two-TD Walker Lift Chiefs Past Dolphins 24-10 in Miami Gardens

Kenneth Walker III scored on a catch and a run and Patrick Mahomes threw two touchdown passes as the Kansas City Chiefs improved to 3-0 by beating the Miami Dolphins 24-10.

Kenneth Walker III caught a 5-yard touchdown pass from Patrick Mahomes and added a touchdown on the ground, and the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Miami Dolphins 24-10 on Sunday in Miami Gardens, Florida, in a matchup of unbeaten and winless teams. Mahomes threw for 246 yards and two scores. The Chiefs moved to 3-0, the Dolphins slid to 0-3, and Miami kept the game close into the fourth quarter.

Miami lost Pro Bowl running back De'Von Achane to a knee injury on the first drive of the game. Achane was hurt on an 11-yard run during the Dolphins' opening possession, and the injury removed arguably Miami's best player from the lineup for much of the afternoon. With backup Jaylen Wright inactive because of a stinger, Ollie Gordon took over in the backfield and carried nine times for 55 yards, scoring on a 3-yard touchdown run.

Kansas City came in averaging better than 450 yards and 32 points per game, and the early going followed that script, with the Chiefs reaching the end zone on each of their first two possessions. It was another rough opening for a Miami defense that one week earlier had watched San Francisco score touchdowns on its first five possessions of that game.

Miami's young defense regrouped after the two early touchdowns. The Dolphins got a stop on downs on Kansas City's third possession, and rookie linebacker Jacob Rodriguez dived to intercept Mahomes shortly before halftime.

Mahomes completed 20 of 24 passes with one interception, and the lone blemish came on Rodriguez's first-half pick. Travis Kelce got Kansas City started with a 48-yard catch-and-run, then drew no targets until the fourth quarter, when he caught an 11-yard touchdown pass with 2:55 left to stretch the Chiefs' lead to two scores. The touchdown came after Kansas City stopped Miami on fourth down at the Dolphins' 48.

The Chiefs intercepted Malik Willis on Miami's ensuing possession, and Mahomes moved the offense into scoring range in the closing minutes, but Harrison Butker missed a 50-yard field-goal attempt.

Rashee Rice topped Kansas City's receivers with seven receptions for 88 yards, and his catches of 15 and 34 yards fueled the Chiefs' final scoring drive. Walker carried 18 times for 70 yards, the first time this season an opponent kept him below 100 rushing yards.

Willis finished 20 of 36 for 210 yards with an interception and a lost fumble in the loss. Miami closed the gap to 14-10 during the third quarter on a nine-play drive that included tight end Greg Dulcich's 42-yard reception and ended in Riley Patterson's 37-yard field goal.

Cramping sent Gordon to the sideline late in the third quarter, though he was able to return. Kansas City visits Las Vegas next Sunday, while Miami travels to Minnesota next Sunday.