The Kansas City Chiefs beat the Miami Dolphins 24-10 on Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium. The difference came down to efficiency: Kansas City averaged nearly 7 yards per play, while Miami managed about 5.
Miami ran 67 plays to Kansas City's 49 and held the ball for more than 34 minutes. All that volume produced 10 points. The Dolphins went 0-for-3 on fourth down and lost 2 turnovers to the Chiefs' 1.
How It Happened
Kansas City scored first. Kenneth Walker III ran in from 10 yards out at 12:54 of the first quarter, and Harrison Butker's kick made it 7-0.
Miami answered late in the quarter. Ollie Gordon II scored on a 3-yard run at 3:27, and Riley Patterson's extra point tied it 7-7.
The Chiefs went back ahead early in the second quarter. Patrick Mahomes hit Walker for a 5-yard touchdown at 12:58, and Butker's kick put Kansas City in front for good, a lead it carried into halftime.
Patterson cut into the lead with a 37-yard field goal at 10:10 of the third quarter.
Butker answered with a 34-yard field goal at 11:35 of the fourth. Mahomes then found Travis Kelce for an 11-yard touchdown at 2:55, and Butker's kick closed the scoring at 24-10.
Key Performers
Kansas City Chiefs
Kenneth Walker III: 10-yard rushing TD, 5-yard receiving TD
Patrick Mahomes: 2 TD passes – 5 YDS to Walker, 11 YDS to Kelce
Team passing: 20-24, 246 YDS, 1 INT
Harrison Butker: 34-yard FG, 3 extra points
Walker accounted for both of Kansas City's first-half touchdowns, one on the ground and one through the air. The passing game was the engine: 20 completions on 24 attempts at better than 10 yards per throw, with no sacks allowed.
Miami Dolphins
Ollie Gordon II: 3-yard rushing TD
Riley Patterson: 37-yard FG, 1 extra point
Team passing: 20-36, 210 YDS, 1 INT
Team rushing: 31 ATT, 119 YDS
Miami actually outgained Kansas City on the ground and averaged more per carry. The Dolphins also converted 8 of 16 third downs, so the drives were there. The finishing was not.
What It Means
Kansas City is 3-0, with two home wins and now one on the road. The Chiefs won without dominating the box score, finishing with almost identical total yardage to Miami. They simply needed far fewer plays to get it.
The Chiefs also did their damage in the red zone, turning 3 of 5 trips into touchdowns. Miami got there only twice and came away with one touchdown.
Miami falls to 0-3, including a loss in its only home game. The pattern from Sunday is the concern: the Dolphins moved the ball, won time of possession and still failed on every fourth-down attempt.
Through the air, the gap was stark. Kansas City averaged more than 10 yards per pass, while Miami averaged about 6 on 12 more attempts. Until the Dolphins turn long drives into points, extra snaps will not be enough.