EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsKANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Before Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes walked off the field Sunday night inside Arrowhead Stadium, he made sure to hug one of his newest teammates: running back Kenneth Walker III."K9!" Mahomes shouted, referencing Walker's nickname.After the Chiefs' 33-30 overtime win against the Indianapolis Colts, Mahomes made sure to praise Walker, whose 178 all-purpose yards -- along with Mahomes' 382 passing yards -- demonstrated for a second straight week how the reigning Super Bowl MVP has helped revitalize the Kansas City offense.The Chiefs were optimistic when they signed Walker that he would add dynamic playmaking to their offense. But he has surpassed even those expectations, leading all skill-position players in the NFL with 369 all-purpose yards through Kansas City's 2-0 start."It's fun for me," Mahomes said of playing next to Walker. "Him running the ball and our offensive line driving off the ball the way they're driving off, it's making the defense have to account for that. If not, we're going to run the ball for 200 yards or whatever we did the week before [against the Denver Broncos]."You want to be able to do it all. We showcased that we can throw the ball down the field, we can play action and can also still run the ball."In 30 touches, Walker was able to outlast many of the Colts' defenders as the game progressed. With quickness, elusiveness and power, Walker forced 15 missed tackles against the Colts, which exceeded his career high of 14 from the previous week against the Broncos, according to Next Gen Stats."They packed five guys in there [on the line of scrimmage]," coach Andy Reid said of the Colts' defense. "That's a good front, so we knew it was going to be tough, but we had a good mix going, a few screens and a couple play-action [passes]. We ran the ball efficiently enough. [Walker] got over 100 yards, but he had to earn every bit of it."Walker also became the first Chiefs player since running back Larry Johnson in 2005 to generate 175 or more all-purpose yards in consecutive games."You can see what the defense is doing and how they're playing," Walker said of his performance improving after halftime. "I get stronger. The way we condition, it's a lot easier in the game."We worked on [our endurance] in training camp with a lot of long practices. We knew what we had to do. When you go through those practices, you have no choice [but to succeed]."Walker's presence was able to impact the Chiefs' offense even when he didn't touch the ball. Mahomes finished Sunday's game with a career-high 14 completions on play-action passes for 137 yards and two touchdowns.Mahomes even shared that Walker's play was helpful for tight end Travis Kelce, who led the Chiefs with 101 receiving yards and a touchdown."When you run the ball, the play action opens up," Mahomes said. "We built on what we did the week before. Just as much as it's cleaned up the game for me, I think having Kenneth and the way he's running the ball gets [Kelce] into these matchups that he's going to win -- and he showed that."One reason the Chiefs were intrigued by adding Walker this offseason is because they believed his ability as a pass-catcher was an under-appreciated skill. In two games, Walker has recorded nine receptions for 79 yards, fourth most on the team.Mahomes' final pass of the game was a short completion to Walker, a play-action pass the quarterback audibled to on a third-and-1 snap near midfield with less than two minutes left in overtime. Walker caught the pass in the flat and sprinted for a 22-yard gain that put the Chiefs in range for kicker Harrison Butker, who made the game-winning 40-yard field goal."It's super fun," Walker said of playing with Mahomes. "We're able to, I guess, freestyle it. If somebody is open or if the play breaks down, he's able to make a play. It's great to play with him."
