Arrowhead Pride
Chiefs headlines for Tuesday, February 11
Super Bowl 2025: How the Eagles dominated the Chiefs, Mahomes | ESPN
They won over and over again on third down against the league’s best third-down offense. While the Chiefs struggled on first and second down consistently throughout the season, Mahomes usually bailed them out by converting on third downs. The Chiefs picked up 50% of their third downs during the regular season with Mahomes on the field, the best rate of any offense, and were at 45% during the postseason before this game.
On Sunday, they failed to convert on their first nine attempts on third down through three quarters, before finally picking up a third-and-7 with 1:25 to go trailing 34-0. It’s just the fourth time in the Mahomes era the Chiefs have gone an entire first half without converting a third down. (One of the other three was Super Bowl LVII against the Eagles, but that was on only three attempts.) Reid’s offense finished 3-of-12 on third and fourth downs.
Through those first nine third-down attempts before the initial conversion on a throw to Kelce, the Eagles won with pressure on six. The three that didn’t include pressure were a quick snap in which Mahomes threw low to Kelce, a designed rollout on the pick-six to DeJean and a quick third-and-13 throw to Kelce for 9 yards to set up a manageable fourth down. Six of those nine plays came with 9 or more yards to go, and as good as Mahomes is, the Chiefs didn’t want to live in third-and-long against this defense.
After Super Bowl meltdown, is window closing for Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs? | FOX Sports
Kelce isn’t who he once was. We saw that in this game, with the tight end catching four balls for 39 yards on six targets. And on the whole, his yardage totals and touchdowns this season were the lowest of his career. As Chiefs assistant head coach Dave Toub told me before the game, Kelce isn’t ”The Guy” anymore. And while this game might leave Kelce wanting more (and, in turn, mean that his retirement isn’t imminent), the Chiefs will still need to figure out how to replace him — even if he’s still there.
And then when he retires? Mahomes has never had to live NFL life without Kelce.
What about Andy Reid? He is 66. With Bill Belichick coaching (in college) at 72 and Pete Carroll getting a job this offseason at 73, it’s totally possible Reid isn’t going anywhere. But know this: Belichick won his final Super Bowl at 66.
Mahomes has never had to live NFL life without Reid.
If there’s any stat that reminds us how fragile dynasties are, it’s that the Patriots — with Belichick and Tom Brady — went 10 years between winning their first three Super Bowls and their next three. It’s not a given that Kansas City...
