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The Kansas City Chiefs find themselves in unfamiliar territory to open the 2025 season. After back-to-back losses to the Los Angeles Chargers (27-21) and Philadelphia Eagles (20-17), Kansas City has started 0-2 for the first time since 2014 and for the first time in the Patrick Mahomes era. The skid also extends back to last February’s Super Bowl defeat, the first three-game losing streak of Mahomes’ career.
Through two weeks, Mahomes has completed 58.8% of his passes for 445 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception (82.4 passer rating). He has also been forced to lead the team in rushing with 123 yards on 13 carries, including 66 yards and a rushing touchdown against Philadelphia. For all his exertions, the offense has not topped 21 points in either game.
However, former quarterback and ESPN football analyst Dan Orlovsky argues that Mahomes is not the reason for Kansas City’s problems. Speaking on NFL Live Monday, he emphasized that the quarterback has done his part while the rest of the offense has fallen short.
“There’s no more Patrick Mahomes can do through two weeks,” Orlovsky said. “I’d argue he’s played pretty darn good against two really good defenses, and the Chiefs are 0-2. They’re 0-2. He’s not been perfect, but he’s played pretty well. He leads their team in rushing, no one’s open, there’s poor spacing in their pass game.”
"There's no more Patrick Mahomes can do through two weeks…"@danorlovsky7 says the Chiefs' offense needs to step up pic.twitter.com/ZLnCPykrwd
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) September 15, 2025
He went on to note that nearly every offensive unit outside of Mahomes has struggled. The Chiefs’ running backs have been less productive than their quarterback on the ground, the receivers have rarely created space against coverage, and the offensive line, even steady starters like Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith, has been losing battles up front.
The problems extend beyond the offense. Kansas City ranks near the league average in pressure rate despite having the NFL’s second-highest blitz rate, according to Next Gen Stats. Opposing offensive lines have been able to focus on Chris Jones, exposing a lack of depth across the pass rush. Outside of Trent McDuffie, the secondary has also shown vulnerabilities, a troubling sign against upcoming high-powered opponents.
The context makes the slow start more alarming. Since 1990, only 12.2% of teams starting 0-2 have reached the postseason. No team has ever won a Super Bowl the year after beginning 0-2 following a Super Bowl loss, and the Chiefs are the first franchise to begin 0-2 after a 15+ win season. In similar situations, teams like the 2002 Los Angeles Rams and 1999 Atlanta Falcons missed the playoffs entirely.
Andy Reid has experienced four 0-2 starts in his 27-year coaching career. His teams have rebounded with a .690 winning percentage (29-13) after such starts, but the road ahead is steep. Kansas City faces the Giants in Week 3 before a gauntlet of matchups with the Baltimore Ravens, Jacksonville Jaguars, Detroit...
