The Kansas City Chiefs travel to face the Miami Dolphins on Sunday afternoon in a Week 3 matchup carrying a 2-0 record, while the 0-2 Dolphins host their home opener under mounting early-season pressure. Kansas City enters the game as double-digit favorites following a hard-fought 33-30 overtime victory against the Indianapolis Colts, aiming to refine the offensive balance that powered their early success.
Maintaining Offensive Balance Against Miami
Kansas City’s offensive identity through two games relies on keeping defenses honest. Head coach Andy Reid and offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy have called 67 runs and 74 passes, producing averages of 186 rushing yards and 283 passing yards per contest. That approach has unlocked career-best efficiency for quarterback Patrick Mahomes off play-action passes. During the overtime win against Indianapolis, Mahomes completed 14 of 17 play-action attempts for 137 yards and two touchdowns.
The running game, anchored by running back Kenneth Walker III and rookie back Emmett Johnson, forces linebackers and safeties to step closer to the line of scrimmage, creating open windows downfield for targets like Xavier Worthy. Miami’s defense has proven vulnerable to multi-dimensional attacks. The Dolphins surrendered 102 rushing yards to Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty in Week 1 before San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy carved up their secondary for 287 yards and two touchdowns in Week 2 after Miami shifted extra defenders toward the line of scrimmage.
Containing De’Von Achane on Defense
Defensively, the Chiefs must neutralize Miami running back De’Von Achane to prevent explosive plays. Achane has totaled 110 rushing yards on 31 carries alongside 49 receiving yards on seven catches through two games, averaging 3.5 yards per carry without a touchdown. However, those early metrics mask his proven big-play capability. Last season, Achane led the NFL with 5.7 yards per carry, compiling 1,350 rushing yards, 1,838 yards from scrimmage, and 488 receiving yards on 67 receptions.
Kansas City edge defenders must maintain outside positioning and set firm edges to prevent Achane from bouncing runs toward the sideline. Allowing him to reach the perimeter forces pursuit defenders into difficult lateral angles. Maintaining discipline on the edge also applies to containing quarterback Malik Willis, whose mobility demands patient and controlled pass-rush lanes rather than aggressive, undisciplined rushes.
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