As the Seattle Seahawks grapple with offensive inconsistency and a turnover problem, former Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker sits in Kansas City looking like the smartest man in America.
He left the reigning Super Bowl champion Seahawks for a full-time starting job with the Chiefs last offseason, and has since taken complete control of the gig, rushing for 665 yards and six touchdowns on 106 carries, good for the NFL lead through six weeks -- and he's only played in five games. Because of Walker's arrival and instant production, the Chiefs are not only back in the title conversation, they're a favorite for some in the AFC.
Walker's Chiefs meet his old team this week in Seattle. Revenge is available, but the Kansas City star isn't seeking it.
"I'm just focused on critiquing the mistakes we made," Walker said Wednesday, via the Associated Press. "Once we get to that point, we'll see."
Despite the hot start, Walker is hyper-focused on fixing his mistakes in Kansas City's offense. It's a refreshing, if not encouraging approach, but it doesn't quite match the results.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes has a better read on the situation.
"I know it's going to be a special moment for him to get back to the place where you kind of built your career, and won a Super Bowl," Mahomes said Wednesday. "Those fans were the people around him for all that. A lot of those people were teammates he grew up with as well in the NFL. It will be a special moment for him.
"But at the end of the day," Mahomes added, "we have to win a football game."
The storybook writers would line up Walker behind Mahomes, hand him the ball and let him run to pay dirt over and over again, securing yet another win for the Chiefs while reminding the Seahawks of what they let walk in March. Kansas City isn't as interested in the poetic ending, though, instead focusing on the game ahead while acknowledging Walker is capable of leading them to victory.
"He's wired to do it," Reid said of Walker's return to Seattle. "When you're on a team, everybody knows your strengths and weaknesses and quirks and everything. I think the boys there will try to get after him a little bit. But he's a pretty level-headed guy. The way he plays, you're going to get a good rep when he gets the ball in his hands. He kind of has one speed: He's coming at you. It doesn't matter who he's playing or where he's playing."
Kansas City was happy to add Walker when it became clear he wasn't sticking around in Seattle, despite the memorable finish that included a Super Bowl LX MVP. The Chiefs have benefitted from their aggressive move to add him since then, starting 5-0 with an offense predicated on Walker.
He can add to that story with another strong outing Sunday night. Seattle's Dark Side defense will have something to say about it, though.
