Mahomes Shakes Off Elbow Scare as Chiefs Rout Jets

Patrick Mahomes walked off holding his right arm late in the first half, his elbow bent awkwardly on a strip-sack by Jets rookie David Bailey. He tested it on the sideline, came right back, and the Kansas City Chiefs pulled away for a 35-12 win over the New York Jets at Arrowhead Stadium, NFL.com’s Week 9 takeaways showed. Kenneth Walker III scored three times.

The win snapped a two-game losing streak and moved Kansas City to 6-2, a half game behind the 7-2 Denver Broncos in the AFC West. The Jets fall to 2-7. Mahomes is now 18-0 in his career against teams entering four or more games under .500, the best mark by any quarterback since 1970 with at least 15 starts.

The Elbow Scare

Mahomes threw a few passes on the sideline, grimaced, and then went back in after the Jets missed a field goal. He hit Travis Kelce for 12 yards and scrambled for seven before halftime. Andy Reid told CBS at the break that Mahomes hurt his elbow a little bit, that it was sore, and that he came back. He did not miss an offensive snap.

He finished 23 of 31 for 242 yards and two touchdowns with a 117.9 rating. Kansas City led only 14-12 at the half after two Mahomes fumbles on sacks, a fumbled kick return, a fumbled quarterback sneak and two missed Harrison Butker field goals. The opening drive of the third quarter went for a touchdown, and the Jets never got close again.

Walker Was the Whole Offense Early

Walker caught touchdown passes of 7 and 25 yards in the first half, the only Chiefs points before the break, and added a 2-yard run in the third. He ran 18 times for 102 yards and caught four passes for 41. It was his fifth game this season with multiple scrimmage touchdowns, the most in the NFL, and the Chiefs have won all five. His 11 total touchdowns tie Detroit’s Jahmyr Gibbs for the league lead.

Kelce caught four passes for 72 yards and scored on a 1-yard run. The defense pressured Geno Smith on half his dropbacks, with Chris Jones and George Karlaftis each getting two sacks. The Jets kicked four first-half field goals and did not score after halftime. Kansas City did lose Xavier Worthy to a late leg injury and tackle Jaylon Moore to an ankle injury.

Smacktok pick lean: Lean higher on Kenneth Walker III total touchdowns at Atlanta in Week 10. He scored three times here, twice as a receiver out of the backfield and once on the ground. If Mahomes’ elbow limits him in practice this week, the lean only gets stronger, since Kansas City already showed it will lean on Walker when the passing game is shaky.

The Chiefs have their quarterback, a half game to make up on Denver, and a trip to Atlanta next.