Patrick Mahomes grimaced and reached for his elbow after a second-quarter sack on Sunday, but he didn’t miss a single offensive snap.
Despite the visible pain, the Kansas City Chiefs‘ quarterback led a second-half surge to secure a 35-12 victory over the New York Jets at Arrowhead Stadium, snapping a two-game skid, the Kansas City Star reported.
The final score suggests a dominant performance, yet the first half was anything but comfortable for Kansas City. The team struggled with discipline and ball security, fumbling four times in the opening half alone. These errors included a Cyrus Allen kick return, a Justin Fields quarterback sneak, and two fumbles by Mahomes himself following sacks.
Harrison Butker missed a field goal at the end of the first half, was granted a second attempt following a flag, and then missed that attempt as well.
While the wide receivers struggled to create plays, the Chiefs found a temporary lifeline through their running backs. Mahomes connected with Kenneth Walker twice for first-half touchdowns on plays that were specifically designed for the runner.
A year ago, Mahomes ranked 50th in expected points added (EPA) when targeting running backs. This season, that ranking has climbed to No. 1. Walker, who saw virtually no passing involvement during his time with the Seahawks in 2025, proved to be a vital weapon on Sunday.
While the unit had been consistently getting near the quarterback, they previously held the lowest percentage of pressures converted into sacks in the NFL, according to Next Gen Stats. That trend broke against the Jets.
Chris Jones recorded his first two full sacks of the season, including one on Jets quarterback Geno Smith. George Karlaftis also found success, reaching Smith twice, while Ashton Gillotte earned his first sack of the year. The impact of these plays was immediate: the Jets failed to score on any of the five drives in which the Chiefs recorded a sack.
The team currently ranks 21st in the NFL in short-yardage conversions. This frustration was highlighted when backup quarterback Justin Fields fumbled a quarterback sneak attempt on third-and-short, leading to a Jets field goal.
Interestingly, the Chiefs opted for an old-school quarterback sneak rather than the traditional “Tush Push” variation.
The victory provides a momentary reprieve, but the schedule ahead for Kansas City is arguably the most difficult stretch in the Patrick Mahomes era.
The upcoming stretch includes a Thanksgiving matchup against the Buffalo Bills, a team that has defeated Kansas City in five consecutive regular seasons. Following the Bills, the Chiefs must face the Rams, Bengals, Patriots, and 49ers.
According to the DVOA metric from FTN Fantasy, all five of these opponents rank in the top nine of the league. Since the Chiefs themselves are ranked No. 8, they are set to play five of the eight best teams in the NFL in rapid succession.
To succeed during this period, the Chiefs likely need to remain unbeaten through their upcoming games against the Jets, Falcons, and Cardinals.
