NFL Sunday: Chiefs vs. Seahawks — What You Need to Know

The Kansas City Chiefs travel to Seattle on Sunday night to face the Seahawks in one of the biggest matchups of the young NFL season. The Chiefs have not lost a single game yet this year. The Seahawks, on the other hand, sit at 3–3 and need a win to stay in the playoff race. Kickoff is at 8:20 p.m. ET at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington.

This game is a homecoming for running back Kenneth Walker III. Walker played for Seattle last season and helped the Seahawks win the Super Bowl, earning the Super Bowl MVP award. After that, he signed with Kansas City as a free agent. Now he returns to the city where he became a champion, but this time as a Chief.

Walker has completely changed Kansas City's running game. Last season, the Chiefs ranked near the bottom of the league in rushing yards per carry. This year, they lead the entire NFL, averaging 5.5 yards every time they run the ball. Walker is playing the best football of his career, and some experts say he could win Offensive Player of the Year.

The Seahawks are under pressure to get back on track. They are already three games behind the San Francisco 49ers in their division. Winning a home playoff game was a huge advantage for Seattle last year on the way to the Super Bowl title. Losing on Sunday would make it very hard for the Seahawks to earn that same advantage again.

Seattle's quarterback Sam Darnold has struggled so far this season. He is throwing interceptions on about 5% of his passes, the worst rate of his entire career. Last year, his passing success rate reached a career high of 50%, but that number has dropped to just 40% this season. Some frustrated fans have asked for backup quarterback Drew Lock to get a chance.

Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs' star quarterback, is still working his way back from a serious knee injury. He tore two ligaments — his ACL and LCL — which cut his season short last year. In three of Kansas City's five games this season, his numbers have been just average. Experts hope he will keep improving as his knee heals and the season goes on.

Sunday's game could come down to Kansas City's running game against Seattle's strong pass defense. The Seahawks are allowing the fewest adjusted passing yards in the entire NFL right now. That makes it tough for any team to throw the ball against them. If Walker keeps running hard and Mahomes stays sharp, the Chiefs have a strong shot at staying undefeated.