USA TODAY International Edition
Chiefs need to pick up Mahomes right now
For the first four weeks of the season, the Chiefs ranked among the most dynamic teams in the league, locks to contend for the Super Bowl.
As Patrick Mahomes continued the wizardry he displayed last season en route to NFL MVP honors, we wondered if he and his squad would encounter much of a challenge until December when the Chiefs face the Patriots in a rematch of last year’s AFC Championship Game.
But everything has changed in the last two weeks.
As they followed up their Week 5 loss to the Colts with a 31- 24 home defeat by the Texans on Sunday, the Chiefs look very pedestrian, vulnerable even, and have real reason for concern.
Sure, Mahomes is still a great quarterback. And Andy Reid’s offensive schemes still rank among the best and most innovative in the game. And at 4- 2, the Chiefs’ season is not at all lost.
But in the last two weeks, a number of troubling warts have surfaced.
Pass protection suddenly is an issue. Mahomes has had little time to operate from the pocket. The balance that Kansas City’s offense once boasted has vanished, and the fireworks have faded as defenses have managed to contain the Chiefs’ many weapons. Meanwhile, it turns out the defensive issues that plagued Kansas City last season very much remain.
The Chiefs still give up way too many total yards. They still get pushed around in the trenches and allow running backs and mobile quarterbacks to run free. They still struggle to get off the field on third downs and rank among the bottom half of the league in takeaways and sacks.
In their current state, the Chiefs do not look like a squad poised to challenge New England for AFC supremacy. So what changed?
The magic of Mahomes. Badly hobbled by an ankle injury against the Colts, Mahomes lacked his usual elusiveness, which in turn paves the way for his dizzying play
making ability. He still wasn’t 100% against the Texans, who, like Indianapolis, boast a formidable defensive front, and again lacked the same kind of special that his team and fans have come to know.
In previous weeks, the offensive line issues seemed less glaring because, more often than not, Mahomes managed to spin away from defenders, extend plays with his legs, then whip the ball downfield or crossfield even to open receivers for drive- extending plays.
But now, without his usual quickness, it’s more obvious that Mahomes’ linemen get overwhelmed by physical attacks and struggle to keep defenders out of the backfield. As a result, their quarterback’s effectiveness has diminished.
So the key for Chiefs opponents: come with great physicality and aggression.
The Lions provided a foreshadowing of this three weeks ago but couldn’t quite pull off the necessary stops. The Colts got the job done, and now so, too, have the Texans.
In the last three weeks, Mahomes has seen his completion percentage plunge ( after completing 72.3% of his passes through three weeks, Mahomes completed just 57.1% versus Detroit, 56.4% against Indianapolis and 54.3% against Houston).
With foes controlling the line of scrimmage, Kansas City’s rushing attack also has sputtered. The Chiefs topped the 100- yard mark in three of their first four outings but managed just 36 yards against the Colts and 53 against Houston.
Ineffectiveness in this department only translates into less- manageable situations for a hobbled quarterback who’s frequently having to scramble for his life.
And with the offense no longer able to move up and down the field at will, an already suspect defense gets further exposed.
The Chiefs did devote resources to improving their defense this offseason. Beyond bringing in Steve Spagnuolo to direct the unit, they also added key players such as pass rusher Frank Clark, safety Tyrann Mathieu and cornerback Bashaud Breeland.
There’s often growing pains when you bring in a new coordinator, and missing defensive end Chris Jones to injury the last two weeks doesn’t help.
But even while gaining comfort with new schemes, the Chiefs’ players have to raise their level of play.
The same goes for their offensive line. The linemen must do a better job of winning individual matchups to help their unit continue to operate effectively.
Improvement by both defensive and offensive lines is imperative.
Although they play in a division with two rebuilding teams ( Raiders, Broncos) and the inconsistent Chargers, the Chiefs can’t afford to falter. Home- field advantage in the postseason is extremely important.
What’s troubling is, Mahomes and his balky ankle have little time for rest and recovery. The Chiefs have a quick turnaround, playing at Denver on Thursday night. Kansas City’s bye doesn’t come until Week 12.
So the Chiefs can only hope that gradually it heals as he tries to baby it throughout each practice each week.
Meanwhile, his teammates need to do their part to keep him upright when the Chiefs have the ball and then while on defense get crucial stops and takeaways to provide more favorable positions for manageable scoring positions.
For a while now, Mahomes has used his greatness to mask deficiencies and compensate for weaknesses on his team. Now he needs his teammates to return the favor for him until he returns to 100%.