Kenneth Walker rushed for 102 yards and scored three touchdowns Sunday, two off passes by Patrick Mahomes, as the Kansas City Chiefs shook off a slow start to topple the visiting New York Jets 35-12.
Mahomes completed 23 of 31 passes for 242 yards as Kansas City (6-2) bounced back from consecutive losses by dominating the third quarter. It outgained New York 152 to -14, putting together two long touchdown drives to break open a close game.
Geno Smith hit 18 of 32 passes for 165 yards for the Jets (2-7), who dropped their fourth straight game. With leading receiver Garrett Wilson (concussion protocol) sitting out, New York stuck with short passes, managing no completion longer than 19 yards.
Smith also absorbed five sacks from a defense that came into the game with just eight, last in the NFL. George Karlaftis and Chris Jones each bagged two.
Kansas City had a scary moment when Mahomes absorbed a hit of his own, getting crunched by two Jets defenders on a pass attempt late in the first half. Mahomes cradled his right arm in the aftermath, but missed no time, leading his team to a field goal attempt to close the half.
Travis Kelce scored on a 1-yard run on fourth-and-goal at the 10:20 mark of the third quarter to cap a 10-play, 60-yard drive. Kelce took a lateral pass on the right side of the line, ran into a pile and barely got the ball across the goal line.
Walker powered in from the 2 with 11 seconds remaining in the period to polish off an 82-yard drive.
Emmett Johnson’s 6-yard touchdown run with 3:35 left in the game closed out the scoring.
New York established a 6-0 first-quarter lead on field goals of 23 and 48 yards by Jason Sanders. After an opening possession of more than eight minutes, the Jets got the ball back when Justin Fields fumbled on a third-and-1 sneak.
Kansas City found footing on its next possession, driving 82 yards and scoring on the first play of the second quarter on Mahomes’ 7-yard pass to Walker.
After Sanders’ 49-yard field goal gave New York its last lead, Walker took a screen pass 25 yards for the go-ahead touchdown at the 5:37 mark.
Sanders bombed a 54-yarder with 2:16 on the clock, pulling the Jets within 14-12 at halftime.