Darrel Williams scores 2 touchdowns in his first regular-season start

Williams had waited a long time for his opportunity.

Kansas City Chiefs running back Darrel Williams made his first career start in the Chiefs 31-13 win over the Washington Football Team — filling in for his injured teammate Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Williams did not accrue impressive counting stats — averaging 3.0 yards per carry on 21 carries for 62 yards. He did add three catches for 27 yards.

Despite the low yardage total, the fourth-year back was a significant part of helping the team move past the devastating Week 5 loss to the Buffalo Bills by scoring two rushing touchdowns against a very talented defensive line.

Williams was humble and focused on the entire team’s effort in his postgame remarks.

“The line did a great job for me,” he observed. “Receivers did a great job blocking downfield. And we got the dub — that’s all that matters.”

He also credited the team’s energy in turning around another up-and-down performance — especially after trailing 13-10 at halftime.

“We was amped up — we was just ready to go play,” Williams claimed. “We know we left some stuff out in the first half. We knew we had to pick that up and move forward and learn from it. And we did in the second half.”

Williams joined the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent from LSU following the 2018 NFL Draft. Continuing his team-oriented focus, Williams downplayed any significance of his first start.

“It was my first regular-season start — but I started in the playoffs last year,” Williams remarked. “At the end of the day — it’s football to me. I’ve been playing since I was six years old — so it’s normal.”

In a game so important for getting a struggling Chiefs team back on track, perhaps one of Williams’ greatest traits remains off of the stat sheet: his reliability. With the team continuing to battle crippling turnovers — Williams appeared confident and safe carrying the football. Williams — who has one career fumble in 186 touches — addressed turnovers in his remarks.

“We just got to not turn the ball over,” Williams said, “and keep doing what we’re doing. We’re moving the ball. Just eliminate the turnovers — and we’ll be the same Chiefs.”

Edwards-Helaire will miss at least two more games — giving Williams continued opportunities against the Tennessee Titans and the New York Giants. Williams trusts the system to produce — no matter who is lined up in the backfield.

“It’s football — so it don’t matter who’s in there,” Williams noted. “It’s me, Clyde, Jet (Jerrick McKinnon), DG (Derrick Gore), anybody — we gonna get the same play calls because we know what each and back is capable of. And we’re just going to go out there and execute.”