There are plenty of reasons the Kansas City Chiefs offense looks different through two games.
Kenneth Walker III has given Kansas City a legitimate rushing threat.
Patrick Mahomes looks comfortable again.
Travis Kelce is still Travis Kelce.
But one of the most impressive numbers on the entire offense belongs to a player who rarely touches the football.
86 pass-blocking snaps. Zero pressures allowed.
That's what center Creed Humphrey has done through the Chiefs' 2–0 start.
According to Kansas City's official Week 2 review, Humphrey is one of only seven NFL offensive linemen with at least 80 pass-blocking snaps who has yet to surrender a pressure this season.
Zero sacks.
Zero quarterback hits.
Zero hurries.
Nothing.
For an offense trying to rebuild itself after a disastrous 6–11 season, that kind of reliability in the middle of the line is enormously valuable.
Mahomes Needs a Place to Step
When we talk about protecting Patrick Mahomes, most of the attention naturally goes to the tackles.
Can the left tackle handle an elite edge rusher?
Can the right tackle keep Mahomes from getting hit from behind?
Those questions matter.
But interior pressure can be even more disruptive to the way Mahomes wants to play.
When pressure arrives from the edge, a quarterback can often step forward.
When the middle collapses, there may be nowhere to go.
Humphrey is helping make sure that escape hatch remains available.
That's especially valuable for a quarterback returning from major knee surgery.
Kansas City doesn't want Mahomes spending every Sunday scrambling away from defenders. It wants him operating within the structure of the offense, moving when necessary rather than because protection immediately broke down.
A clean interior makes that possible.
The Running Game Makes This Even More Important
Humphrey's contribution isn't limited to pass protection.
Kansas City is averaging 186 rushing yards per game, second in the NFL through two weeks, while Walker leads the league with 290 rushing yards.
That's where this offensive-line story gets interesting.
The Chiefs aren't protecting Mahomes by abandoning the run and dropping him back 50 times every week.
They're becoming balanced.
Against Indianapolis, Kansas City produced 371 passing yards and 152 rushing yards. It was the first time the Chiefs had topped 350 passing yards and 150 rushing yards in the same game since 2018.
Humphrey sits in the middle of all of it.
He has to identify protections.
He has to handle interior rushers.
He has to reach linebackers in the running game.
He has to communicate with Mahomes and the guards on either side of him.
And through two games, nobody has even registered a pressure against him.
Stability Matters More Than Highlights
Offensive linemen live in a strange football world.
A receiver can make eight great plays and one bad one and have an excellent afternoon.
An offensive lineman can make 60 good plays and get remembered for the one snap where the quarterback gets crushed.
The best linemen become almost invisible.
That's essentially what Humphrey has accomplished so far.
You don't notice him because nothing bad is happening.
Mahomes isn't dealing with defenders immediately appearing in his face.
Walker is finding room between the tackles.
Kansas City's offense is averaging an NFL-best 457.5 yards per game.
Humphrey isn't solely responsible for any of those things.
He's one of the reasons all of them can happen.
My Take
I spent a lot of time before the season worrying about Kansas City's offensive line.
Most of that concern centered on tackle.
That's why I think Creed Humphrey's start deserves its own recognition.
When one part of an offensive line is uncertain, having an elite player somewhere else becomes even more important.
Humphrey gives Kansas City an anchor.
Andy Reid knows what he's getting.
Mahomes knows what he's getting.
The guards playing beside Humphrey know what they're getting.
That stability allows the Chiefs to devote help elsewhere instead of constantly worrying about the middle.
And here's the part I like most:
Kansas City is doing this while becoming a serious running team.
Humphrey isn't protecting Mahomes in an offense that throws every snap.
He's helping power a rushing attack ranked second in the league while simultaneously posting a perfect pressure sheet in pass protection.
That's complete offensive-line play.
Kenneth Walker is going to get the highlights.
Mahomes is going to get the headlines.
Kelce is going to keep breaking records.
But if this offense really is returning to the top of the NFL, don't overlook the guy snapping the football.
Through two games, Creed Humphrey has been about as close to perfect as an offensive lineman can get.
Sources: Kansas City Chiefs — 10 Quick Facts Following the Week 2 Win; FOX Sports — Kansas City Chiefs 2026 team statistics.
