CHIEFS, quarterback were at their worst

TAMPA, Fla. — The strangest season ended in the strangest way, with Patrick Mahomes ineffective, the Chiefs blown out for the first time in years and the NFL’s best team over the last two seasons left flapping in the breeze.

The Chiefs got whupped, and it’s been a long time since those words could be said, but this 31-9 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV was overwhelming in its conviction.

This was supposed to be the Chiefs’ argument as the NFL’s next dynasty, and instead we saw their strengths blown to bits and their weaknesses made obvious to a global audience.

This was supposed to be Patrick Mahomes’ first step toward chasing Tom Brady’s legend, and instead we saw him play the worst game of his career.

There was not one area in which the Chiefs won, and we’d have to watch the film to see where they were even competitive. They did not pressure Brady; they could not protect Mahomes. Their receivers could not find open spaces; their defensive backs could not cover open receivers.

This was the 54th start of Mahomes’ rocket-ship career, and he had never before lost by more than one score. Then again, he had never been this overwhelmed as a professional — constantly pressured, receivers rarely open downfield, the chaos for once dictated by the opposition instead of Mahomes and his talented teammates.

There will be complaints about the officiating. There often are, especially from the losing side. Tyrann Mathieu was called for pass interference on an objectively uncatchable ball, and then a soft penalty for trash-talking Brady.

A personal foul on Chris Jones earlier in the half was a classic second-man-caught. The Chiefs were called for eight penalties worth 95 yards in the first half; the Bucs just one for five yards.

But the Chiefs did enough damage to their own cause. Anything the refs could’ve done would have been merely piling on.

One drive ended with a pass bouncing off Tyreek Hill’s helmet at the goal line. Another drive ended on a pass that hit Travis Kelce in the hands. Tommy Townsend shanked a punt. Mathieu intercepted a deflected pass, but it was wiped out on a holding penalty called on Charvarius Ward.

The Chiefs went offsides on a Bucs field goal, then gave up a touchdown pass on the next snap. Bashaud Breeland effectively tackled Mike Evans on a deep ball, earning a 34-yard pass interference penalty.

Those plays alone cost the Chiefs anywhere from seven to 21 points. Complain about the officiating if you want, but if you set your own house on fire nobody wants to hear you complain that the fire department was too slow.

The officials weren’t great and violated the general Super Bowl code of staying out of the way. But Tampa defensive coordinator Todd Bowles outcoached everyone on the Chiefs’ sideline, the Bucs brought consistent pressure, covered downfield — there wasn’t one spot the Chiefs won.

The Chiefs cannot blame this on anyone but themselves. This was the worst they’ve played in years — take your pick from that fourgame losing streak in 2017 — and it came in the worst moment.

It has been so long since we’ve seen the Chiefs outmatched that it felt foreign, like an illusion. They have been outplayed before, but then Mahomes happens. They’ve trailed before, and then Hill runs wild, or Kelce becomes a linebacker’s nightmare, or Chris Jones wrecks the other team’s line.

None of that happened. The Chiefs unraveled.

This still a good team. A great one, even. If every NFL franchise could be drafted, top to bottom, considering roster and coaches and front office and everything else, the Chiefs would be everyone’s first pick.

Mahomes is still the league’s best player, the talent around him is still relatively young, and the coaches and executives have a strong track record of finding and developing talent.

They will open as one of the favorites for next year’s Super Bowl, and after a few days or weeks of debriefing the work will begin.

This will forever be remembered as a missed opportunity, and it is the first major and non-injury setback of Mahomes’ career. A football life that has so far done nothing but climb now has its first fall.

The narrative will shift, ever so subtly. He is still on an ascent toward becoming one of the best to ever play the sport, but in both the shortand long-term history they will note the night his team was blown out by Brady’s in the NFL’s biggest game.

What we know is that the Chiefs generally and Mahomes specifically have responded well in these spots. Their incredible highlights hide a steady toughness that has driven the franchise’s rise.

They’ll need to rely on that once more.