ClutchPoints
The Kansas City Chiefs had a lot of questions coming into the 2025 season after a blowout in the Super Bowl against the Philadelphia Eagles, but even their biggest skeptics have to be a bit surprised at the way this fall has started for Patrick Mahomes and company.
Following a 27-21 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers where the Chiefs had their chances to come back and win in Week 1, Kansas City was beaten 20-17 by the Eagles in a Super Bowl rematch in front of its home fans on Sunday. That leaves the Chiefs at 0-2 as questions persist about their hopes of getting off the mat and making the playoffs.
Of course, if the Chiefs are able to get into the playoffs, nobody will want to play them in a win or go home scenario. Mahomes and company have proven that they can beat anyone and know how to win those games in the clutch moments. Over the course of the season, however, the Chiefs have some real problems to address when it comes to doing what is required to get into the postseason.
Coming out of the offseason, a lot of the talk around the Chiefs was about how the offense would be much more explosive in 2025. The offensive line had improved, and a second-year leap from Xavier Worthy combined with the return of Rashee Rice would give Mahomes more places to go with the football to create big plays.
While the offensive line has held up better in pass protection, the Chiefs’ running game has been absolutely hopeless through two weeks. Patrick Mahomes has been dangerous as a scrambler, notching 123 yards on 13 carries this season, but no Chiefs running back has more than 47 yards on the season.
The pass-catching group has also not held up, as Rice is serving a six-game suspension and Worthy is still sidelined with a shoulder injury that he suffered on Kansas City’s first drive of the season. Travis Kelce’s decline has continued into this season and was on full display with his crucial drop that cost his team seven points on Sunday, and that has left this group without any explosiveness once again.
Mahomes did hit new addition Tyquan Thornton for a long touchdown near the end of that loss to the Eagles, but overall the offense still seems like it is operating in a phone booth. That is a big problem for the Chiefs as they try to navigate the early part of the season.
Those offensive issues aren’t necessarily new, but the problems that this Chiefs team is having on defense haven’t been an issue in past years. Attrition has hit this unit and has left Steve Spagnuolo with less difference-makers than he is accustomed to having.
The biggest issue with the Chiefs is the pass rush. Kansas City is currently just an average team in pressure rate...
