Four Takeaways From the KC Chiefs' 41-10 Win Over the Chicago Bears
After a pair of one-score games to open the 2023 season, the Kansas City Chiefs went into game No. 3 and put together a flat-out dominant performance against the Chicago Bears.
After taking a 7-0 lead in the first quarter, Andy Reid's squad piled on with 27 more points in the second frame before shutting things down in the second half. It was one of the most lopsided victories of the Reid era in Kansas City, and one that sent the visiting Bears spiraling with their 13th consecutive loss dating back to the 2022 season. With their wire-to-wire win in the books, the Chiefs rise to 2-1 on the year and are above .500 after a rocky start to the campaign.
Here are four takeaways from Sunday's game.
Sep 24, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Jerick McKinnon (1) celebrates with quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) and tight end Travis Kelce (87) after scoring a touchdown against the Chicago Bears during the first half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
Patrick Mahomes had a classic Patrick Mahomes performance
One of the main storylines stemming from the Chiefs' first two games was Patrick Mahomes being unable to carry the team to high-flying performances on offense. Last year, despite some inconsistency along the offensive line and from the wide receiver group, Mahomes oftentimes put Kansas City on his back and strung together some elite games with eye-popping stat lines. In Weeks 1 and 2, he was far from perfect and didn't get a lot of help from his supporting cast. On Sunday, however, things were different.
Completing 24 of his 33 passing attempts, Mahomes notched 272 yards through the air and had a trio of touchdowns. He also carried the ball three times and added another 28 yards on the ground, extending some plays with his legs. He needed less than three full quarters of football to make a lasting impression on the game, with Chicago's defense having no answers for him. Everything went ideally for Mahomes in Week 3 outside of his ankle getting rolled up on near halftime, and the fact that he avoided serious injury was yet another positive for No. 15.
Travis Kelce also looked a lot more like himself
Travis Kelce missed the Chiefs' season opener against the Detroit Lions after suffering a hyperextended knee and bone bruise, but he was able to return for last Sunday's win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. While the 33-year-old did score a touchdown, he didn't quite resemble his usual All-Pro self and struggled to control his temper over the course of the game. Kelce's demeanor and play were both stellar in Week 3, as Kansas City's second-best offensive player returned to form.
Hauling in seven passes on eight targets, Kelce had 69 receiving yards and a touchdown against the Bears. It was a nice game for the future Hall of Fame tight end, as he helped serve as Mahomes's go-to option on third down, appeared to have his full burst-mobility combo back and also was a serious threat in the red zone. With Taylor Swift in attendance to watch him play, Kelce stepped up and delivered with a big-time performance despite receiving somewhat limited playing time.
A third consecutive dominant outing for Steve Spagnuolo's defense
Through three games, the Chiefs' defense has hands-down been the team's best and most consistent unit. FOX's in-game graphic highlighted how Kansas City has the NFL's youngest group on that side of the football, which usually comes with a bunch of growing pains and stumbles along the way. Some of those were suffered a season ago but with former rookies now blossoming into second-year contributors — as well as defensive tackle Chris Jones being back in the fold — the Chiefs have been shutting down the opposition. Sunday didn't deviate from that one bit.
Kansas City shut out Chicago through three quarters, surrendering just four first downs in the entire first half while also allowing a single third down conversion and an average of 3.9 yards per play. Bears quarterback Justin Fields was sacked multiple times and was mostly contained on the ground, which is no easy feat. Players at all levels of the field (Jones, Willie Gay Jr. and Trent McDuffie, to name a few) stepped up to the plate and chipped in for the blowout win. Even while giving up double-digit points in the fourth quarter with reserves on the field, Spagnuolo's unit fought hard and played relatively sound football.
Kansas City needs to get and stay healthy
The Chiefs were already dealing with some injuries leading up to Sunday's game, as linebacker Nick Bolton and wide receiver Richie James were ruled out a couple of days prior. Others such as Gay, wideout Kadarius Toney and running back Isiah Pacheco played through ailments of their own, but the team's bill of health didn't get any better in Week 3. Mahomes's ankle aside, multiple other members of the Chiefs got banged up against Chicago.
On a friendly-fire hit from safety Bryan Cook, cornerback Joshua Williams was slow to get up and had to be assisted off the field. Left tackle Donovan Smith briefly left the game after a big hit but later returned. Right tackle Prince Tega Wanogho appeared to suffer a quad injury while in pursuit on an interception return, later getting ruled out by the team. No club is fully healthy now that the season is off and running but even more so for squads with legitimate playoff aspirations such as the Chiefs, remaining durable and keeping talent on the field is always paramount.
