The Kansas City Chiefs’ 24-10 win over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday afternoon was about as anticlimactic as it gets. With Miami struggling to find its footing, there was never much doubt that Andy Reid’s squad would walk out of Hard Rock Stadium with the W. Still, Kansas City’s first road trip of the 2026 season came with more than a few head-scratching moments that left fans frustrated.
The 3-0 Chiefs hit the road for their first away game of the season against the 0-3 Dolphins. While the scoreboard says it was a comfortable win, the performance was far from a statement game. Reid’s squad did just enough to get the job done, but it was hardly the clean, convincing outing Chiefs Kingdom was hoping for.
Have the Dolphins Exposed the Chiefs’ Biggest Flaws?
The Chiefs’ Ground Game Takes a Surprising Step Back in Miami
Yes, the Chiefs won by 14, but this game was far from a walk in the park. Kansas City didn’t really put the Dolphins away until a fourth-quarter touchdown drive — and that came against a Miami team already looking like a heavy favorite for the 2027 No. 1 overall pick.
The Chiefs’ run game, which had been absolutely humming through the first two weeks, suddenly took a backseat, and this is when Josh Simmons was greatly missed on the field. Kansas City finished with 25 team carries for just 88 yards, good for a pedestrian 3.5 yards per carry. Kenneth Walker III did his part with 18 carries for 70 yards and a touchdown, but this was nowhere near the ground-game juice Chiefs Kingdom had gotten used to seeing.
And the issues didn’t stop there. The Chiefs racked up too many penalties, while their defensive line once again struggled to get home, finishing with zero sacks for the second straight week. On the other side, Miami kept the chains moving, converting four third-and-8-or-longer situations and extending drives on a humid afternoon at Hard Rock Stadium.
Still, all of those concerns took a backseat to one glaring problem that became impossible to ignore in the second half: Mahomes was getting hit. A lot.
Every time No. 15 dropped back, the pocket seemed to collapse almost instantly, leaving him with little time to survey the field before taking a shot. By the fourth quarter, the hits appeared to be taking their toll. After connecting with Travis Kelce for a touchdown, Mahomes didn’t exactly celebrate. He took a hit from Uche on the play, then appeared visibly frustrated as he pulled off his helmet and headed back toward the sideline.
The Chiefs’ Pass Rush Disappears After Week 1 Sack Surge
For the second straight week, the Chiefs failed to record a sack. After racking up four sacks in Week 1, Kansas City’s pass rush has gone noticeably quiet. It didn’t come back to bite them against Miami, but if Steve Spagnuolo’s defense can’t start getting home, it could become a much bigger issue once the schedule gets tougher.
Spags has some tinkering to do.
Still, veteran defensive tackle Chris Jones isn’t hitting the panic button. He knows the NFL is a week-to-week grind, and not every Sunday is going to be a clean sheet. What matters, he said, is how the team responds when things don’t go according to plan.
“We’re gonna have those games where we face a lot of adversity,” Jones said. “I think coming into today, we didn’t start how we wanted to, but we were able to get the win. That’s the beauty of it. We know this game isn’t easy to come by.”
And for now, the Chiefs can live with it. They’re 3-0, after all.
But there’s another question lurking beneath the perfect record. Through three games, Kansas City hasn’t really been forced into an extended, “Alright, Mahomes, go win it with your arm” kind of situation. When that moment inevitably comes, the trenches could tell the story.
Can the offensive tackles hold up when the Chiefs have to live in obvious passing downs? More importantly, can Mahomes stay upright if he continues taking shots like the ones he absorbed Sunday?
Main Image: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
