By Jeremy
Patrick Mahomes has won plenty of games without lighting up the box score. On Sunday against Atlanta, he did both. His five touchdown passes—his first five-score game since 2022—powered a 35–13 Chiefs win and offered something more interesting than a vintage stat line: the touchdowns went to four different players, including newcomer Josh Downs and rookie Cyrus Allen. For a Kansas City offense still figuring out its options without injured running back Kenneth Walker, that variety mattered.
A fast start, then a timely answer
Mahomes opened the scoring by finding running back Emmett Johnson for a 12-yard touchdown on the Chiefs’ first possession. That did not turn into an uninterrupted offensive showcase. Kansas City had trouble sustaining much for the rest of the first half, making its final drive before the break especially valuable.
With 18 seconds left in the second quarter, Mahomes connected with Downs for an 18-yard touchdown that sent the Chiefs into halftime ahead 14–3. Downs had arrived via trade earlier in the week, so four catches, 53 yards and a score made for an encouraging introduction. One game cannot establish how large his role will become, but contributing in a consequential spot so soon after joining the team is a good place to start.
More than one way to finish a drive
The second half showed why spreading the scoring around is more than a pleasing detail on a stat sheet. Allen caught a 39-yard pass down the left sideline for his first career touchdown, giving Kansas City a downfield strike from a rookie. Johnson later added his second receiving touchdown, this one from six yards out, to stretch the lead to 28–3.
Those scores came from different parts of the offense. Johnson was effective near the goal line, Downs delivered before halftime, and Allen supplied the explosive play. When Atlanta briefly threatened late—scoring quickly and recovering an onside kick—Mahomes answered with a 43-yard touchdown to Andrew Armstrong. That final throw restored a comfortable margin rather than allowing a strange fourth quarter to become the story.
Mahomes finished 22-of-35 for 348 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions. It was an excellent performance, but the most useful takeaway for Chiefs fans may be that he did not need to force every important pass toward one familiar target. Four touchdown recipients gave Atlanta different problems to solve, and Kansas City kept finding an answer.
Johnson made Walker’s absence manageable
Walker being out could have left the Chiefs short of both rushing production and a reliable outlet for Mahomes. Instead, Johnson carried 19 times for 93 yards and caught six passes for 70 more. His two touchdowns made him central to the scoring, but his work between those plays was important, too: Kansas City could still involve its running back rather than asking the passing game to compensate entirely for the injury.
That does not mean Walker’s absence is suddenly inconsequential, or that one strong afternoon settles the backfield picture. It means Johnson handled a significant opportunity against Atlanta. The Chiefs will want that kind of dependable contribution for as long as Walker remains unavailable.
Kansas City moved to 7–2 with the win, and there is good reason to appreciate the performance without treating it as a guarantee of what comes next. The first-half lull was real, as was Atlanta’s late burst. Still, five touchdown passes shared across four teammates made this a convincing reminder of what Mahomes can do when the offense gives him several ways to score.