Walker Held to 36 Yards in Chiefs' Loss to Seahawks

Kenneth Walker III's return to Seattle did not unfold as planned for the Kansas City Chiefs' newest star running back and reigning Super Bowl MVP. The Chiefs suffered their first loss of the season, falling 20-3 to the Seahawks, with Walker managing only 36 yards on 14 carries.

Meanwhile, Emanuel Wilson, one of Walker's replacements in Seattle, recorded 100 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries against his former team.

The decision by Seahawks general manager John Schneider to let Walker leave in free agency last March was put under scrutiny. Walker had finished the previous season with 135 rushing yards in the Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots before signing a three-year, $43 million deal with the Chiefs. His move to Kansas City had initially appeared successful, with Walker accumulating 703 total yards and eight touchdowns as the Chiefs started the season 5-0.

However, the Seahawks' defensive performance on Sunday limited the Chiefs' ground attack. Seattle held a significant advantage in rushing yards, finishing with 153 yards to the Chiefs' 50, which contributed to their time of possession advantage of nearly 12 minutes.

NFL analyst Randy Moss had previously commented on the importance of establishing the run, noting that a team's play-action game suffers if opponents do not respect their run game. The Seahawks' ability to control the line of scrimmage on Sunday seemed to vindicate this perspective.

The Seahawks drafted Jadarian Price from Notre Dame in April to bolster their running back depth, but he was placed on injured reserve earlier in the month due to a chest injury. Seattle's season had started with a disappointing 3-3 record, leading to questions about Schneider's decision not to re-sign Walker, especially as opponents focused on their passing game.