The Kansas City Chiefs are on an early bye in Week 5, but what a start they’ve had! They’re one of just three undefeated teams in the league right now, and honestly, a lot of the advanced metrics are screaming that this team is legit. We’re talking Next Gen Stats showing some wild stuff, especially on offense.
Andy Reid Actually Committed To The Run Game? Get Outta Here!
Okay, so the biggest shocker in Kansas City’s early success? A true, honest-to-goodness commitment to the run game. Seriously, who saw that coming from Andy Reid? Right now, the Chiefs are second in expected points added (EPA) per run play, rocking a 0.14 mark. Only the Buffalo Bills are ahead of them, mostly thanks to Josh Allen doing quarterback things with his legs. But here’s the kicker: Walker, the Chiefs’ main man, is absolutely tearing it up. Speedy Buffalo running back James Cook barely edges Walker on rush attempts of ten or more yards, 15 to 14, but Walker leads ALL running backs with 10.9 cumulative expected points added. Get this: his 537 total yards easily lead the entire league. That four-game total? It’s probably only gonna drop to second even after most of the league gets their fifth game in. Bijan Robinson of the Falcons is trailing Walker by 43 yards, and yeah, he’ll likely pass him. And Cook could push Walker to third if he gets 117 yards on the ground when the Bills face the Rams on Monday night. This newfound dedication to the run is also letting Patrick Mahomes hit a career-high 33% play-action percentage on passing plays, a huge jump from the 18% they were under center in 2025 to about 40% this season. The only other time Mahomes topped 30% play-action as a starter was back in 2018 with Kareem Hunt, so you know Walker’s impact is real.
Mahomes Is Back To MVP Form While A Rookie Receiver Lurks
Speaking of Mahomes, he’s quietly having his best season since that 2022 MVP run. His EPA per dropback is sitting at 0.17, which is a noticeable bump from 0.11 in both 2023 and 2024. The league’s still testing his deep ball, but he’s holding his own, especially with those lingering questions on the offensive tackle spots. His 7.1 air yards per attempt is up from the last two seasons, though it’s a slight dip from his 7.9 mark in that shortened 2025 campaign. But honestly, the real intrigue might be rookie running back Emmett Johnson. This dude has only five receptions on five targets, but he’s already racked up 5.8 cumulative receiving EPA. And check this out: with a crazy -3.6-yard average depth of target, Johnson has 92 yards after the catch while officially only having 74 receiving yards all year. That’s some serious playmaking after the catch! Reid and his staff absolutely HAVE to unlock Johnson’s potential in the screen game moving forward. It’s right there, just waiting to explode.
Defense Is Making Fans Grab The Blood Pressure Meds
Now, on the other side of the ball, the Chiefs’ defense has been a bit of a nail-biter lately. It’s apparently reminded a lot of fans about “the importance of taking prescribed blood pressure medication.” Yikes! Most advanced stats are, well, that’s where the source leaves us hanging, but you get the picture. There’s some work to do.
So, what’s next? We’ve got our eyes on that Monday night game where James Cook and the Bills take on the Los Angeles Rams. Depending on how Cook plays, Walker could slip from first to third in the rushing stats, but his start has been electric. And seriously, everyone should be looking forward to seeing how the Chiefs scheme up more ways to get rookie Emmett Johnson the ball in the screen game. The potential is massive.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Arrowhead Pride.
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