Kansas City Chiefs: How special Travis Kelce and 'secret sauce' Kenneth Walker are inspiring Patrick Mahomes resurgence
Kenneth Walker has emerged as the 'secret sauce' of Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chief's early-season resurgence, says Sky Sports NFL's Jeff Reinebold.
The Chiefs extended their perfect start to 3-0 on Sunday as they defeated the Miami Dolphins 24-10 in their bid to return to the playoffs, having missed out for the first time since 2014 last season.
Former Seattle Seahawks running back Walker has made an immediate impact since the Super Bowl MVP signed a three-year $45m deal in free agency.
While Walker leads the NFL with 360 rushing yards, Mahomes has shown signs of rediscovering his devastating best after returning from last December's season-ending knee injury.
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"I think Patrick right now is just getting used to people around his legs," said Reinebold on Inside the Huddle. "You're in that vortex of violence that is called the pocket, I just think that he's getting more confident, he slides around in the pocket a little bit more than he did early.
"And Travis Kelce, man. Every time I think the guy's done, he makes a play. He is really, really special.
"And Kenneth Walker to me is the secret sauce now. That could be the dynamic that they haven't had where they were so reliant on Patrick and Kelce to make plays. Even though he statistically didn't have a great game, but you saw his impact on the game, especially when they got into short yardage situations."
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Walker finished Sunday's win over the Titans with 18 carries for 70 yards and a touchdown, his threat making a notable difference in allowing the Chiefs to enjoy success out of an increased usage of play-action.
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"One thing we talked about early in the season last year was there was no running game from the Chiefs and the only running really came from Patrick Mahomes taking off and going downfield and risking life and limb," said Sky Sports NFL's Neil Reynolds.
"We said that you can do that for a short period of time and lo and behold, he tears his knee ligaments late in the season. Just sometimes just that threat of Kenneth Walker means that Mahomes doesn't have to do that, it's going to stand the Chiefs in good stead in December and January."
Kelce has meanwhile started the season with 14 catches for 231 yards and two touchdowns after signing a contract extension with the Chiefs in the offseason amid suggestions he might retire. Based on early weeks, the tight end has no plans to walk away just yet.
"The dynamic of having a back like Walker, especially one who can run so well between the tackles, and then pairing that with a tight end like Kelce, and then one of the top quarterbacks like Mahomes, it makes the Chiefs a really dynamic offense," Reinebold continued.
"Andy (Reid) dials him up. He went back to the shovel pass on the goal, and that underhanded shovel pass, he is something. He is a football guy's football guy, I bet he has on his desk a notepad of little yellow sticky notes with plays."
Next up the Chiefs face their divisional rival Las Vegas Raiders, who are also 3-0 on the year after Sunday's win over the New Orleans Saints.
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