Arrowhead Pride
Is everyone okay?
I thought I should do a wellness check, because the reaction to the Kansas City Chiefs’ 31-28 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars loss has felt… different.
It’s no surprise that nationally, there is hysteria surrounding the Chiefs. That has become the norm. But this is the first time it feels like a significant portion of the team’s fans is losing faith.
But this is understandable, because Kansas City isn’t judged the same way as other NFL teams. It’s the only team whose success or failure is based on one metric: whether it wins the championship.
While other teams can take a step toward their goal and call it a success, the Chiefs cannot. Their season can end in only two ways: with a Lombardi Trophy or disappointment. It’s the only thing that matters, because Kansas City is in its championship era.
So yes… it’s not surprising that some fans are upset about the team’s performance through five weeks of the season. The Chiefs are 2-3 for just the second time in the past decade. Monday’s loss included sloppy play across the board — including 13 penalties that gifted the Jaguars more than 100 yards.
All of that is bad.
And yet… after this loss, I feel more confident about the team than I have in three years.
I know: that sounds strange. Why would anyone gain confidence based on that performance?
It’ll tell you why:
It’s because Kansas City’s offense is back. Not kinda back. Not sorta back. Forget those qualifiers. It’s all the way back.
The Chiefs’ offense finally looks like it did in 2022. In recent weeks, its efficiency has been off the charts. It began in the second half against the New York Giants, continued against the Baltimore Ravens’ depleted defense and was further demonstrated by how it did against an underrated Jacksonville defense.
The offensive line is finally living up to expectations. The running game is providing just enough spark. Xavier Worthy’s presence — and Tyquan Thornton’s emergence — has forced defenses to respect the deep ball. And quarterback Patrick Mahomes is playing at an exceptionally high level.
Mahomes’ 378 yards of total offense on Monday night were the most in any game he’s had since Super Bowl LVIII against the San Francisco 49ers nearly 18 months ago. It was also his first regular-season performance with more than 350 total yards in nearly two years — dating back to a 31-17 win over the Los Angeles Chargers in October 2023.
It’s no surprise that Mahomes is the engine that makes this offense go. On Monday, Kansas City averaged more than 7.5 yards per play for the first time since its 32-29 victory over the Buffalo Bills in last season’s Divisional round.
In 2022, the Chiefs’ offense had four games where it averaged at least 7.5 yards per play. That team set the post-Tyreek Hill standard for what a Mahomes-led offense should look like.
It’s been way too long since the Chiefs’ offense could...
