Chiefs Beat Chargers 22-6 as Walker Scores Twice to Stay Perfect

The Kansas City Chiefs beat the Los Angeles Chargers 22-6 on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium, holding Los Angeles without a touchdown to stay unbeaten. Kenneth Walker III ran for 128 yards and both Kansas City touchdowns, and the Chiefs improved to 5-0. The Chargers fell to 0-6.

Kansas City scored on its opening drive and never trailed. Harrison Butker opened the scoring with a 44-yard field goal. After the defense forced a quick punt, Walker broke a 32-yard touchdown run with 7:21 left in the first quarter. Butker missed the extra point, so the lead stood at 9-0. Cameron Dicker answered with a 23-yard field goal for Los Angeles, and the first quarter ended 9-3.

Walker does the scoring

The second quarter brought a trade of turnovers. Linebacker Jack Cochrane intercepted Justin Herbert deep in Chargers territory, Herbert's eighth interception of the season. Kansas City drove to the 2-yard line, but Patrick Mahomes threw into the end zone under pressure and cornerback Cam Hart intercepted him, the one clear mistake of the Chiefs' afternoon.

Walker fixed it before halftime. He finished an eight-play, 80-yard drive with a 2-yard touchdown run with 1:49 left in the half, his eighth touchdown of the season, to make it 16-3. Kansas City forced a quick punt, Mahomes hit two fast completions, and Butker kicked a 50-yard field goal for a 19-3 lead at the break. At halftime Mahomes was 15 of 19 for 179 yards, Walker had 75 yards on 10 carries, and Xavier Worthy had five catches for 70 yards.

Los Angeles managed one score after halftime. Dicker kicked a 30-yard field goal early in the third quarter to cut the lead to 19-6. That was the only scoring of the quarter.

Defense closes it out

The Chiefs' defense finished the job in the fourth quarter. Nick Bolton forced a fumble that Drue Tranquill recovered early in the quarter. Later, Walker ran 16 yards to the Los Angeles 12 on an 11-play, 60-yard drive, and Butker kicked a 30-yard field goal with 3:56 left for the final points at 22-6. Herbert's best play of the day, a 57-yard completion to Quentin Johnston, still did not produce a touchdown. Kansas City sacked Herbert three times, with Ashton Gillotte, George Karlaftis and Chamarri Conner each getting one.

Mahomes finished 23 of 30 for 272 yards with no touchdown passes and one interception. Walker carried 19 times for 128 yards and caught two passes for 11 more. Herbert finished 22 of 37 for 204 yards with no touchdowns and one interception, and the Chargers' running backs combined for only 43 rushing yards. Los Angeles also lost receiver Ladd McConkey and cornerback Deane Leonard, both ruled out with concussions.

What it means

Kansas City came off its bye week and kept the last unbeaten record in the AFC, winning with its running back and its defense on a day when Mahomes did not throw a touchdown pass. The Chiefs played without receivers Rashee Rice and Tyquan Thornton, both hurt in Week 4, and still scored on five drives. For Los Angeles, six games without a win is the worst start in the league, and the offense has now gone a full game without a touchdown against a division rival. Week 7 is next for both teams, with Kansas City trying to protect the perfect record and the Chargers still looking for their first win.